[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/hometown-heroes-2024\/","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/hometown-heroes-2024\/","description":"At Trollinger Law LLC, we deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work of first responders in protecting and enhancing their communities. That\u2019s why we actively engage with these communities to gather nominations for those who truly embody the spirit of a \u201cHometown Hero.\u201d After a thorough selection process, we are excited to announce the winners of our fifth annual Hometown Heroes awards. Tonya Bagley \u2014 Charles County Department of Emergency Services Tonya has served as an emergency medical technician (EMT) in Maryland for 25 years. Her career began as a volunteer EMT in Charles County, and she now works in...","name":"Hometown Heroes 2024","headline":"Hometown Heroes 2024","articleBody":"At Trollinger Law LLC, we deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work of first responders in protecting and enhancing their communities. That\u2019s why we actively engage with these communities to gather nominations for those who truly embody the spirit of a \u201cHometown Hero.\u201d After a thorough selection process, we are excited to announce the winners of our fifth annual Hometown Heroes awards.Tonya Bagley \u2014 Charles County Department of Emergency ServicesTonya has served as an emergency medical technician (EMT) in Maryland for 25 years. Her career began as a volunteer EMT in Charles County, and she now works in the Emergency Medical Services Division of the Charles County Department of Emergency Services.Tonya\u2019s longtime commitment to saving lives makes her an outstanding example of a Hometown Hero. It\u2019s not only about the awards and commendations she has received for her work. She also serves as a trainer and mentor for up-and-coming EMS providers. She is a Maryland Fire and Rescue Services Instructor, a Recruit Training Officer for new EMS personnel, a Field Training Officer, and a Defensive Driving Instructor for the Charles County government.More than that, she is a comforting presence to the people she\u2019s saved and the others she\u2019s taught. Affectionately called \u201cMom\u201d or \u201cMomma Tonya\u201d by new recruits, she demonstrates what it means to be dedicated to the profession. Our community is better with Tonya in it.\u00a0Deputy Tyrell Claggett \u2014 Calvert County Sheriff\u2019s OfficePublic service runs deep in Tyrell\u2019s blood. A former sergeant in the U.S. Army, he is now a deputy in the Calvert County Sheriff\u2019s Office. Tyrell currently works in the Patrol Bureau, overseeing traffic enforcement, criminal investigations, and community-oriented policing.In 2023, the Sheriff\u2019s Office started a Neighborhood Deputy Liaison program to address quality-of-life issues and building relationships between the deputies and their neighborhoods. Tyrell\u2019s nominator said Tyrell approached the initiative with a \u201cpositive attitude, infectious smile, and overwhelming sense of personal responsibility\u201d to the program\u2019s success. Grassroots connections are vital in building bridges between communities and law enforcement, and Tyrell stands as an ideal model for how programs like these should be implemented.Assigned to the Apple Greene subdivision in Dunkirk, Tyrell has attended community meetings and identified the problems that matter most to citizens. Not only that, he has turned their concerns into action. He arranged for an electronic speed enforcement sign to be brought to areas to address speeding complaints, mediates disputes among residents, and spent a Sunday off at the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. Thanks to this incredible work, Tyrell\u2019s accolades extend beyond the Sheriff\u2019s Office. The Dunkirk Community Group proactively contacted the Sheriff\u2019s Office to praise his work.Ryan Cleckley \u2014 Calvert County Department of Emergency Medical ServicesLieutenant Ryan M. Cleckley is the EMS supervisor for Calvert County\u2019s \u201cC-Shift.\u201d In his role, Ryan guides his crew to provide top-notch care to people in need. His tireless efforts have been crucial to the growth and success of Calvert County\u2019s EMS system over just four years. Beyond his regular job duties, Ryan voluntarily handles additional responsibilities like payroll, scheduling, and uniforms, always putting others first.Ryan\u2019s compassion, calmness under pressure and professionalism have profoundly impacted countless lives. Despite the demands of his role, he remains deeply committed to his team and community, often taking time away from his young family to ensure everyone is cared for. Ryan truly embodies the spirit of \u201cservice before self,\u201d making him a deserving Hometown Hero whose contributions create a lasting legacy.Debbie Drury \u2014 Ridge Volunteer Rescue SquadDebbie is an integral member of the Ridge Volunteer Rescue Squad (RVRS), where she mentors all EMTs and firefighters in their roles as first responders. She is currently Assistant Chief and a former President of the organization, who served as a steadfast leader as the squad navigated the COVID-19 pandemic.Generously giving her time to her profession, Debbie puts over 3,000 hours per year in ambulance response and training duties for RVRS. She has been crew leader for the Thursday and Sunday night shifts and filled in during day shifts or when responding to requests on busy days or large-scale incidents in Saint Mary\u2019s County and the Ridge Community.Time and leadership are only one part of the job. Caring is another. Debbie is noted for her humble and non-threatening demeanor, particularly among volatile patients who need extra support. Colleagues joke that the secret to her success is not only her good attitude, but also the Wawa coffee that she insists upon during her shifts. Coffee or not, Debbie remains a shining light and inspiration to everyone she meets or helps.Shaunda Morgan \u2014 EMT, Firefighter, Auxilian, and Administrative Officer in Potomac Heights and DentsvilleService through adversity is a sign of a true Hometown Hero. Shaunda exemplifies this quality many times over. She is a longtime first responder in Potomac Heights and Dentsville, serving in many roles as an EMT, Firefighter, Trainer, Auxilian, and Administrative Officer. She has continued working in these roles with enthusiasm and energy despite diagnoses of serious illnesses that compromise her immune system.In 1991, Shaunda joined the Charles County Volunteer System with the Potomac Heights VFD and RS Auxiliary. She later joined the Rescue Squad and got her EMT. While still a trainee, she performed life-saving CPR on an infant born prematurely and weighing just two pounds. That moment led to her award of the \u201cCertificate of Appreciation for Making a Difference in the Life of a Child.\u201dOver the years, Shaunda served in many leadership positions as an Auxiliary member in Potomac Heights and as an EMT, Driver, Field Training Officer, QA\/QI Officer, EMS Lieutenant, and EMS Captain. She mentored trainees rising up through the ranks and raised two daughters who also work as first responders in Charles County.In 2004, she decided to become a firefighter, where she was the oldest in her class at age 47. Despite severe claustrophobia, she persevered and made herself available to respond to calls at all hours. In 2017, she joined Dentsville Station No. 15.Though her EMT license lapsed, Shaunda was quick to volunteer when Maryland allowed past EMTs to regain their certifications in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite her increased risk of infection, she committed herself to helping others in crisis. That unwavering commitment makes her an incredible asset to Southern Maryland residents.You can learn more about Hometown Heroes by visiting our website.","dateModified":"2024-09-23","datePublished":"2024-08-23","wordCount":1076,"about":"Firm News","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Logo-Header-1.svg","height":0,"width":0,"@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Logo-Header-1.svg"},"name":"Trollinger Law LLC","@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/hometown-heroes-2024\/#Organization1"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Tonya-Bagley-209x300.jpg","height":"300","width":"209","@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Tonya-Bagley-209x300.jpg"},"author":{"@type":"Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fecba0beea03ea549751c6d96abc8968?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96,"@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fecba0beea03ea549751c6d96abc8968?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/author\/trollingerlaw\/","name":"Trollinger Law LLC","identifier":8,"@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/author\/trollingerlaw\/#Person"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/hometown-heroes-2024\/#BlogPosting"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hometown Heroes 2024","item":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/hometown-heroes-2024\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]