Shannon Dunaway, a patrol captain at Bainbridge Public Safety, was seriously injured while helping fight a major house fire on MLK Jr. Drive in Bainbridge on Saturday, August 16, according to City of Bainbridge officials.
Dunaway was standing on the front porch of the home when part of the house collapsed and he was trapped by debris. The officer suffered injuries to his neck and back and was still being treated at Memorial Hospital in Bainbridge as of Tuesday, August 19, City Manager Chris Hobby said.
Hobby said Bainbridge Public Safety and the Georgia Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the fire, which broke out in an abandoned home with no electricity, as an act of arson. Anyone with more information on how the fire got started is asked to call BPS investigators at 248-2038 or the State Arson Hotline at 1-800-282-5804.
Callers to the hotline will be eligible for rewards of up to $10,000 if they provide
information leading to the arrest and conviction of an arsonist. Callers and reward
recipients may choose to remain anonymous.
Dunaway has substantial police and firefighting experience
In January 2012, Dunaway and fellow BPS officer Brian Boyett both received the Montford-Lynn Peace Officer of the Year award for their efforts in saving the life of an elderly woman.
From The Bainbridge Post-Searchlight archives:
On March 8, 2011, Boyett and Dunaway were called to 1211 Garland Avenue, where they discovered a 104-year-old woman sitting in a chair in the middle of a smoky room. Boyett investigated a stove fire, and Dunaway and two neighbors helped the woman get out of the house safely.
Dunaway and Boyett also received Employee of the Year awards from the Bainbridge City Council in 2011.
Dunaway is a native of Donalsonville who now lives in Bainbridge. He has been a police officer since 2003 and joined Bainbridge Public Safety in 2010. His previous work experience includes time with Decatur County Fire and Rescue.
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