August 30, 2018 — Firefighter Bryce Gutierrez of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is the winner of the 2017 Firehouse Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor. Firehouse Editor-in-Chief Tim Sendelbach and Worcester, MA, District Chief (ret.) Mike McNamee will present the award to Gutierrez during the Oct. 18 opening ceremonies of Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN.
Gutierrez is recognized for his actions in rescuing four children from a structure fire. On Jan. 16, 2017, LAFD Task Force 33 responded to a fire in a bungalow in south-central Los Angeles. While conducting forcible entry onto the property, Gutierrez heard screams coming from inside. The captain in charge confirmed that four children—ages 2, 3, 5 and 7—were still in the house.
Locked security gates blocked the front entrance, so Gutierrez circled the property and found a rear-bedroom window—the only point of entry not yet consumed by flames. He hoisted himself through the window into thick smoke and zero-visibility conditions, and began crawling on all fours to search for the children.
Amidst the smoke and flames, Gutierrez found each child. Each child was unconscious, and not knowing whether they were dead or alive, Gutierrez quickly carried each child back to the window, passing each to a waiting firefighter on the outside. He completed these motions until all four children were rescued. All four children survived.
Sendelbach said Firehouse is proud to recognize Gutierrez’s remarkable actions: “The Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor represents the highest honor awarded to an individual for their actions in the performance of their duties as a firefighter. Firefighter Gutierrez’s quick and decisive actions, coupled with his relentless courage, saved the lives of four helpless children. His actions exemplify that of a proven professional and a selfless servant to the citizens of Los Angeles. Firefighter Gutierrez, you truly are America’s Bravest.”
Gutierrez 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, Gutierrez will be presented with a custom bronze trumpet provided by Liberty Art Works.
Lt. Michael J. Conboy of the FDNY received second place, and Scott Kohler and Matt Towner of the Clackamas, OR, Fire District #1 received third place. Eight additional personnel—from the Baltimore City Fire Department; FDNY; Clark County, NV, Fire Department; Los Angeles County Fire Department; and San Francisco Fire Department—complete this year’s top tier of Valor Award winners. Twenty-two others will receive $100 awards, and 18 additional individuals 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, MA, District Chief (ret.) Mike McNamee, after whom the top Valor Award is named; Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder of the Loveland-Symmes, OH, Fire Department; Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane, WA, Fire Department; John B. Tippett, Jr., director of Fire Service Programs with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF); and Fire Chief Josh Waldo of the Bozeman, MT, Fire Department.
Firehouse would also like to thank the 2017 Valor Awards Program corporate sponsors: 5.11 Tactical, Alert-All, Blackinton, Columbia Southern University, eDispatches.com, Fire Station Outfitters, Fol-Da-Tank, First-In by Westnet, Liberty Art Works, Marion Body Works, the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, Pierce Manufacturing, RollNRack, Waterous Company, Waterway Cooperative and W.S. Darley & Company. 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.
