Wausau police officer presented with department Medal of Valor.

Officer Wade Shnowske received the Wausau Police Department's Medal of Valor after he entered a burning house to pull a woman to safety in late December; the woman later died a few days after the rescue.

Officer Wade Shnowske was presented with the Wausau Police Department's Medal of Valor at a City Council meeting. Chief Matthew Barnes awarded the department's second-highest honor. The recognition followed a late-December incident in which Shnowske entered a burning house to reach a trapped resident. The resident, identified as 68-year-old Julia Thompson, died from her injuries a few days after the rescue. Key details: - Officer Wade Shnowske was first on the scene after the call and entered the home through an unlocked side door. - He navigated thick smoke and carried a woman found on a couch to safety. - The woman was later identified as 68-year-old Julia Thompson and died from her injuries a few days later. - Chief Matthew Barnes said the department does not have a policy to enter burning buildings and noted that Shnowske's actions placed his own safety at risk. - The Wausau Police Awards Committee approved the Medal of Valor, which was presented during the City Council meeting, and Shnowske is scheduled to receive an award from the Wisconsin Professional Police Association in April. Summary: The department awarded its second-highest honor in recognition of Shnowske's decision to enter the burning home and attempt a rescue, actions the chief said provided the woman additional time with family before she died. He is also set to receive an award from the Wisconsin Professional Police Association in April.