Fresno County Sheriff's Office deputies awarded for performing CPR and saving woman's life at bus stop

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- On Thursday, Fresno County Sheriff's Deputies Jose Valencia and Jesus Ramirez both received the Life Savings Awards for their heroics earlier this year.

On March 14, the deputies came across an unconscious woman near a Courthouse Park bus stop.

The deputies performed CPR until paramedics came to take her to the hospital. The woman survived because of their actions.

"It brought a sense of peace because I knew that her daughter was at the scene and her daughter was really out of it. She thought the worst," said Valencia.

The woman now has a pacemaker. When she recovers, she wants to see the deputies who helped her.

"Anytime anybody's in a life-threatening situation like that, it's very special for us to be able to assist somebody," Ramirez said.

Sheriff's Reserve Sgt. Bill Smith was honored with a Distinguished Service Award.

He and his horse Dano are popular with kids while on patrol and at events. Smith has volunteered over 21,000 hours over the past 28 years.

"It went by so fast. The Sheriff's department was so diversified, so many options. That's why I chose the Sheriff's Office," Smith said.

Smith puts in 20 volunteer hours a month with the Sheriff's Posse. He joined the Sheriff's Reserve after serving in the U.S. Navy.