LAFAYETTE, Tenn. -- The police chief of Lafayette was honored for the bravery he showed when deadly tornadoes ripped through Macon County earlier this year.

Video: Chief Honored After Tornadoes Hit Macon County

What police Chief Jerry Dallas in the days following the storms earned him not only the respect of the town but also a national award.

On the night of Feb. 5, one funnel cloud had already touched down and a second one was about to hit. Dallas made sure his officers were safe, and then went to the affected areas to rescue injured residents.

"He put himself into harm's way and still continued to look for victims, people who were hurt," said Lt. Ray Amalfitano of the Lafayette Police Department.

Amalfitano said the chief did all of this while not knowing if his own son, who lived in the path of the tornado, was dead or alive.

On Thursday night, the chief received a surprise party where the city presented Dallas with the highest honor from the American Police Hall of Fame, the silver star of bravery.

"I only hope I can be half the officer you've been throughout your career," said Sgt. Kevin Woodard of the Lafayette Police Department.

"I appreciate it, but everybody deserves it. On that night, everybody came out, everybody pulled together. I didn't do it. We all did it," said Dallas.

Dallas has served with the Lafayette Police Department for 34 years.

Thirty-three people were killed statewide by the tornadoes that hit Feb. 5. Seventeen residents of Macon County were killed by the storms.