September 1, 2017 — Firefighter James P. Lee, Jr., FDNY Rescue 1, is the winner of the 2016 Firehouse Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor. Firehouse Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach will present the award to Lee during the Oct. 19 opening ceremonies of Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN.
Lee is recognized for his actions during a structure fire in a five-story multiple dwelling in Manhattan on Oct. 27, 2016. With an elderly civilian trapped at a top-floor window and conditions deteriorating, Lee was lowered from the roof to the victim with a lifesaving rope (LSR). Operating in zero visibility, Lee used the victim’s yells as a beacon. The man was crouched below the windowsill with fire lapping out over his head. Using all his strength, Lee reached into the window and got one arm around the victim’s back and one under his knees. The man could not hold onto Lee due to cuts and burns to his hands and arms. The LSR began to burn as Lee and the victim were lowered past third floor. When they reached the ground safely, the LSR burned through and fell to the ground. Firefighters Lee and Francis Rush carried the man through exposure 4 to the front of the fire building where he was handed off to EMS personnel.
The nomination from the FDNY reads, in part: “Firefighter Lee’s actions with this rapidly expanding fire helped save the life of the victim. The extent of the fire negated any other rescue alternative, which foreced Lee to endure securing the now-helpless victim for the full five-story descent, passing four floors of fire. Lee’s training, dedication and determination is in keeping with the highest standards of the New York City Fire Department.”
Sendelbach said Firehouse is proud to recognize the remarkable actions of Firefighter James P. Lee, Jr. on Oct. 27, 2016: “Firefighter Lee’s actions without question proved to be the difference between life and death. His actions exemplify the selfless courage representative of the Michael O. McNamee Award and true proud traditions of America’s Bravest.”
Lee receives a $3,000 cash award, a medal provided by Blackinton, as well as airfare, accommodations and registration to Firehouse Expo in Nashville. During the opening ceremony, Lee will be presented with a custom bronze trumpet provided by Liberty Art Works.
Captain Joseph P. McConnell of the FDNY received second place, and Leroy Lopez of the City of Riverside, CA, Fire Department received third place in the Valor Awards. Ten additional personnel—from the FDNY, City of Richmond, VA, Department of Fire & EMS; Seminole County, FL, Fire Department; Chicago Fire Department; Fresno, CA, Fire Department; Unity Volunteer Fire Department in Plum, PA; and St. Louis, MO, Fire Department—complete this year’s top tier of Valor Awards. Nineteen others will receive $100 awards, and 18 others are recognized as honorable mentions.
Firehouse would like to express its appreciation for the judges who reviewed the nominations for this year’s program: Worcester District Chief (ret.) Mike McNamee, after whom the top Valor Award is named; Fire Chief Paul Bourgeois of the Superstition Fire & Medical District, AZ; Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder of the Loveland-Symmes, OH, Fire Department; Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane, WA, Fire Department; and Interim Fire Chief John B. Tippett, Jr. of the Charleston, SC, Fire Department.
Firehouse would also like to thank the 2016 Valor Awards Program corporate sponsors: 5.11 Tactical, Aladtec, Alert-All, Blackinton, Circul-Air, CMC Rescue, eDispatches.com, Fire Station Outfitters, Fol-Da-Tank, Liberty Art Works, the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, Paratech, Phenix Technologies, and Waterway Cooperative. Their support and generosity help us honor America’s Bravest.
To learn more about the Valor Award honorees, visit firehouse.com/valor-awards.
About the Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor
The Firehouse Magazine Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor is part of Firehouse’s larger awards program, the Firehouse Valor & Community Service Awards, the largest awards program of its kind in the fire service. The Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor, formerly known as the Heroism Award, was renamed as part of a larger mission to change firefighters’ perspectives about what it means to be brave in the face of danger. Specifically, Sendelbach chose to name the award after Worcester, MA, Fire Department District Chief (ret.) Mike McNamee because of the courage he displayed at the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire in December 1999, when he made the bold decision to stop additional Worcester firefighters from entering the building when there were already six lost inside. To have your department’s acts of valor or community service considered for an award, please e-mail [email protected].
About Firehouse
Firehouse is the leading fire and emergency services brand, reaching more than 1 million unique visitors and subscribers monthly, and thousands of attendees annually, via its live events and media portfolio. The Firehouse brand encompasses Firehouse Magazine, Firehouse.com, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Firehouse Station Design Conference and Awards, and a host of print and digital products targeting fire and emergency services personnel. Utilizing its multiple platforms and unparalleled reach, Firehouse sets itself apart from the competition by fostering a culture that encourages innovation and the use of the latest digital and database technologies to best serve its audience and companies serving the marketplace.
