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Ann Curry: Now to a story of selfless service and heroism. Early one morning, Deputy Sheriff Jennifer Fulford-Salvano was called to a home invasion in progress in Orlando. The 911 call was made by an eight-year-old boy whose mom and twin 2-year-old sisters were at home. When Deputy Fulford-Salvano and another deputy arrived at the house, they were ambushed and engaged in a shoot-out with the robbers. Deputy Fulford-Salvano was shot 7 times but managed to get the children and their mother out safely. Now for her valor she has been named "Police Officer of the Year" by Parade magazine and the International Association of the Chiefs of Police.
Ann Curry: Jennifer, officer, good morning and congratulations to you!
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Good morning!
Ann Curry: Then go back to that day in terms of what had happened. You know, you, uh, were in a situation in which you had heard from the mother, she was sent out to tell you that everything was Ok. (Right.) There were other officers there, but you decided, you decided to go into this home, to go into the garage. What made you go in when the other officers did not?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Uh, I just kept thinking about the kids, I just not knowing what was going on inside the home, I couldn't just leave them sitting there, so.
Ann Curry:So you thought, "maybe I can help these kids come out of this alive", and you, but soon after you went into the situation, you were actually, the shooting started.
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Right, right after I went in and checked, the doors on the car were locked, so I started to come back, outwards the garage door and that's when the shooting started.
Ann Curry: Shooting started, you were hit, at the, by the end of the shooting something like 7 times including in your shooting arm.
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Correct.
Ann Curry: And yet you continued, and then what, what made you not fall back,and, you know, you were obviously hit 7 times. Why did you keep going?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Well, I mean, survival, I didn't want to die in that garage, and, um, I've recently received training for shooting, you know, if your strong hand is hit, what's to do? And I think that really helped me that day.
Ann Curry: You actually put the gun in the other hand?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Right.
Ann Curry: And you were able to shoot with your other hand, your not strong hand.
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Correct. I dropped the gun and then picked it up in my left hand, and kept going.
Ann Curry: At this point, the children are in the car, in the garage, (right) and the mother is where?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: She is, I don't know, out by the street somewhere.
Ann Curry: And so, and so what exactly happens, you are actually hit, several of these, of these would-be robbers. Is that correct?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Yes. There was(were) two of them shooting at me at the same time basically, so I was alternating between shooting the one at the back of the van and the one at the front of the van, and um, the one at the back died on scene, and the second one managed to stumble out into the driveway, collapsed there and died in the hospital.
Ann Curry: Uhm, and the children? and the mother?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: The children amazingly were completely fine, the van was full of holes, but the passenger compartment was fine.
Ann Curry: And the mother?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: The mother was fine.
Ann Curry: So, when you think this all happened last year, you know,and when you think back on all of this, you know, knowing you took a big risk can go into that garage, would you, and knowing that you suffer because of your injuries, would you have done it all over, would you do it all over again or there is something you would've done differently.
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Well, a lot of people've asked me that,you know.I joked and said I probably would call in sick that day if I know. But, um, I think the way everything turned out, I was just happy to see the kids were safe, and I probably would go (in) there again if it was the same situation, because it was very easy, it could have turned into a hostage situation or they could've been killed.
Ann Curry: And what does it mean to you that they survived, that these children in a large part due to you? These three little kids.
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Well, that's my job, that's what I'm there for.
Ann Curry: But does it give your life greater, value to you, to yourself, knowing that you have done that?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Oh, yes, to a certain extent. I mean, you know, I always try(ing) to help the people that I serve in my community, so , that's, it just enforces that for me.
Ann Curry: Well You have a lucky community then, and, well, I'll tell you, you've got, you've been, you were awarded the Medal of Valor at the White House. And now Parade magazin is, and also the Association of the Chiefs of Police is naming you, are naming you "Officer of the Year". Means something to you?
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Oh, yes, it's been huge. I've never imagined anything like this would come out of a simple, you know, one minute of my life. So, parade has been greatest exposure and the ICP, it's gonna be very psyched next week I think, a lot of fun, so.
Ann Curry: Well, a minute of your life, it really tells us all that sometimes, you know, we can look back on important moments if we've made the right choices, we can go up, go, go forward with our heads up high and chests out. As you can now, officer, my pleasure and my honor, and thank you so much for your goodness and obvious dedication to service.
Jennifer Fulford-Salvano: Thank you.
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