A Calipatria State Prison Correctional Officer has been honored with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ( CDCR ) highest honor.

Officer Alfred Gascon has been awarded the CDCR's Medal of Valor. Gascon was recognized for conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service.According to the citation , while driving home from work , Officer Gascon came upon an accident with one person trapped in a vehicle , an unconscious person in a second vehicle , and a missing passenger. Gascon found the missing passenger in a nearby canal. He jumped in the water and rescued the victim. The passenger has severe head injuries and no pulse. Officer Gascon began life-saving measures and the passenger's heart began beating. Meanwhile , smoke began pouring out of the first vehicle. Gascon pulled the driver out of that vehicle and also rescued the people out of the second vehicle. All the victims survived. 

CDCR also recognized Correctional Sergeant Harley Robbins of Centinela State Prison with a Gold Star Medal for a heroic deed under extraordinary circumstances , displaying courage in the face of immediate peril in acting to save the life of another. 

Parole Service Associate Rosalie Cota at Calipatria State Prison was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for saving a life without placing oneself in peril.Cota used proper training and tactics in a professional manner to save , or clearly contribute to saving the life of another person.