Nominate a Hero

Recognizing Heroes & Survivors

The Larry Pickett Foundation: Nomination Criteria

To establish a national standard for The Larry Pickett Foundation, the nomination criteria must clearly distinguish between “doing a job” and “answering a call.”

Here is a set of criteria designed to define a heroic act that qualifies for the foundation’s support and recognition:

1. Extreme Physical Risk (The “Line of Danger”)

The individual must have knowingly entered a situation where there was a high probability of severe injury or death.

Examples: Entering a burning building/vehicle, jumping into moving water, or putting themselves between a victim and a violent threat.
The Test: If the individual had done nothing, they would have remained safe, but the victim likely would have perished.

2. Voluntary Intervention (Beyond the Scope of Duty)

While the foundation supports first responders, the “Heroic Act” criteria specifically looks for actions that go beyond standard training or expectations.

For Civilians: Any act where there was no legal or professional obligation to stay and help.
For Professionals: Acts that occurred while off-duty, or on-duty actions that involved a level of risk exceeding standard operating procedures and equipment capabilities.

3. Objective Life-Threatening Crisis

The intervention must be tied to a specific, immediate threat to a survivor’s life.

Criteria: The survivor must have been in a state of “imminent peril” (e.g., trapped in a fire, drowning, or facing a fatal medical/trauma event without immediate aid).
The Result: The hero’s actions must be the primary reason the survivor moved from “Rescue” to “Relief.”

4. Conscious Decision & Intentional Action

Heroism requires a choice. The criteria should look for a “conscious moment of transition” where the person realized the danger but decided to act anyway.

Finally, all nominations must be accompanied by at least one form of third-party verification:

Official Police, Fire, or EMS reports.
Media coverage (Links to news articles or video segments).
Signed witness statements from non-family members.
Unaltered videos cell phone/dash cam or surveillance video

Evidence Tiers To ensure credibility, every nomination must meet one of the following evidence standards:

A. The “Lens of Courage” Track (Video Evidence)

Requirement: Clear video footage of the rescue (Body cam, Dash cam, CCTV, Ring doorbell, or Bystander mobile video).
Verification: The video must be unedited (raw footage preferred for review)

B. The “Unsung Hero” (Documented Evidence)

Requirement: Since no video exists, the nomination must provide two forms of verification:
1. Official Record: A police report, fire incident report, military commendation, or published news article confirming the event.
2. Witness/Victim Statement: A written or recorded testimony from the person who was saved or a credible witness on the scene.

No Staged Events: Any video that appears staged or performed will be instantly disqualified.