Firehouse is pleased to announce the honorees in the 2015 Firehouse Magazine Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor. The honorees displayed great bravery in the face of dangerous conditions.
Formerly known as the Heroism Awards, the Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor reflects a larger mission to change firefighters’ perspectives about what it means to be brave in the face of danger. Specifically, the award is now named 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.
We would like to thank the judges: Fire Chief Paul Bourgeois of the Superstition Fire & Medical District, AZ; Deputy Chief William Goldfeder of the Loveland-Symmes, OH, Fire Department; Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane, WA, Fire Department; and Deputy Chief John B. Tippett, Jr. of the Charleston, SC, Fire Department.
#4: Michael Ryszetnyk, FDNY – Brooklyn
On Dec. 11, 2015, members of Engine 255 and Ladder 157 responded to a fire in a private dwelling with heavy fire showing from the second floor and reports of multiple people trapped. Firefighter Michael Ryszetnyk, the outside vent firefighter, used a 24-foot portable ladder to position himself on the roof of the enclosed porch to access the exposed area. With heavy black smoke under pressure coming from the windows, Ryszetnyk slid through the window and was immediately forced to the floor from the intense heat. He began searching the room, and with fire rolling over his head, he could hear members at the window yelling for him to get out. He quickly moved to the other side of the room and came across the body of an unconscious person. Ryszetnyk positioned himself between the fire and the victim and moved the victim toward the window. Other members assisted in removing the victim onto the porch. Ryszetnyk jumped out the window with his bunker coat on fire, and Firefighter Viviano smothered the flames on the coat. Even while suffering from his own burn injuries and exhaustion, Ryszetnyk and other members began CPR. The victim was revived.
#5: Victor J. Milukas, FDNY – Brooklyn
On Aug. 24, 2015, Engine 309 and Ladder 159 were dispatched to a structure fire with reports of a toddler trapped. Upon arrival, units observed a two-story non-fireproof private dwelling with heavy smoke issuing from the upper-story window frames. Lt. Victor Milukas and Ladder 159’s interior team made their way to the second floor landing where they were met with high heat and zero visibility. A search plan was quickly formulated, and Milukas made his way toward the front of the building. Without a hoseline in place, he performed a search of the front master bedroom. With no victim found in that room and considering the families’ insistence that a toddler was still inside, Milukas entered the fire room. He found a bunk bed and swept the lower mattress, which was on fire. He felt a pile of clothes in the corner and realized it was the toddler. He immediately left the room with the victim and transmitted a 10-45 (fire victim). He carried the toddler to the exterior of the building and transferred the toddler to members of Engine 323, who did chest compressions and rescue breathing until EMS arrived. The two-year-old survived.
#6: John T. Zollner, FDNY – Bronx
On Aug. 18, 2015, Ladder 55 was first-due to a heavy smoke condition on the third floor of an eight-floor multiple-dwelling building. Captain John Zollner and the inside team entered the building and headed up the stairs. After locating the fire on the third floor, Zollner used his thermal imaging camera to determine there was a room with an open door and heat emanating from it. Zollner and Firefighter Caffrey crawled down the hallway, and with fire showing at the ceiling level, they were able to crawl into the apartment. While Caffrey attempted to control the fire with the can, Zollner went past the fire, without the protection of a handline, and searched the apartment along the right-hand wall, entering a bedroom. An initial search of that room was negative, so he exited and continued to follow the right-hand wall. He then heard a faint moan and followed the sounds deeper into the apartment until he found a semi-conscious victim in the supine position. Zollner began to drag the victim out of the apartment and called for Caffrey to help him. They were able to remove the victim and transfer her care to Ladder 19.
#7: John Henderson, Van Buren, MI, Fire Department
On Dec. 13, 2015, the Van Buren Fire Department was dispatched to a working house fire in a tri-level-style home. Lt. John Henderson arrived with his partner, Firefighter Campbell, and saw that the second floor of the home was well involved with fire. Henderson was alerted to fact that a young child was still inside the home. He rushed to the front door and directed his attention to the area where police officers had first observed a child; however, he could only see smoke and fire conditions. With the fire only about 12–18 inches off of the floor, he donned his SCBA only to realize he had left his helmet on the truck. Sensing he only had a matter of seconds to attempt a rescue, he entered the front door and began crawling on his stomach. Moments later, he felt the soft clothing of a small toddler. Under intense heat, Henderson dragged her with him back to the front door. He was met there by Firefighter Campbell, who began providing medical care to the unresponsive girl. The 2-year-old was treated at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital after suffering burns to more than 50 percent of her body. She has since been released.
#8: Roddrick Harrison, New Orleans Fire Department
On March 2, 2015, off-duty Firefighter Roddrick Harrison noticed flames coming from a roof behind a bar. Harrison immediately called Fire Alarm to report the fire and give a description of the incident for responding fire companies. While standing in front of the burning two-story dwelling, Harrison was approached by an adult female who told him her daughter was still inside in an upstairs bedroom. Harrison entered the home, and while on hands and knees crawled around to locate the bedroom door. He found an adult male and female in bed, woke the couple and explained to them the house was on fire. The couple was disoriented so Harrison had to shake them awake and pull them out of bed. He had to drag the male down the stairs and out of the home to safety. After Harrison had gotten the couple outside, a second male ran into the home attempting to retrieve clothing for the female victim who had just been rescued. Harrison went back into the home and forced the second male to leave. Soon after, Harrison noticed the crew of Engine 27 arriving to the scene and assisted them with hooking up to the hydrant.
#9: Calvin Groth, Spokane, WA, Fire Department
On June 11, 2015, Spokane companies were dispatched for a water rescue at Upriver Dam. Citizens reported that a man had been swimming but began to struggle and then went under the surface of the water. Members of Engine 8 could see a white spot mid-channel, and FEO Calvin Groth and Firefighter Biddle entered the shallow water with intentions of affecting a rescue. They made their way approximately 50 feet at which point Groth yelled to the IC that he could see the victim about 5 to 6 feet underwater. Groth and Biddle used a rope bag to tether to each other as Groth attempted to get to the victim. Groth went underwater three times in attempts to reach the victim. On the third attempt, he surfaced and yelled that he had the victim. Biddle began to pull Groth and the victim toward the shallow water. The two of them made their way to the river’s edge and began performing CPR on the victim. At this point, other units arrived with ALS capabilities and began to intubate the victim and establish an IV.
#10: Dustin Chambliss, Blue Ridge Fire District – Happy Jack, AZ
In the early morning hours of March 20, 2015, Captain Dustin Chambliss and Firefighter Catherine Sobel were making a medical transport of a patient to Flagstaff Medical Center. While en route along a rural road, Chambliss requested Sobel to pull over in order to reevaluate the patient. After coming to a stop and exiting the ambulance, the vehicle started rolling forward. Sobel attempted to regain control of the vehicle but was struck off balance and her legs were run over. After hearing shouts from Sobel, Chambliss realized the vehicle was moving and no one was in the driver seat. In the rear-view mirror, he saw Sobel lying on the roadway. Chambliss stepped out the side door of the patient compartment and entered the vehicle cab so he could stop the ambulance. After securing the vehicle, he went to assess his partner and, realizing the severity of the situation, called for assistance. While awaiting additional resources, Chambliss relocated his original patient to the squad bench, removed the stretcher and singlehandedly packaged his partner on a backboard and loaded her onto the stretcher and into the back of the ambulance. At the arrival of additional resources, care of Sobel was transferred to the Pine Strawberry Fire Department. After transferring to another ambulance, Chambliss continued care and transport of his original patient. It was later determined that Chambliss stopped the ambulance within about 10 feet from running off a 20-foot drop.
#11: Thomas Barnes Jr. and Michelle Willoughby, Baltimore City Fire Department
On Aug. 21, 2015, Captain Thomas Barnes and Emergency Vehicle Driver Michelle Willoughby, assigned to Truck Company 20, were dispatched to a structure fire in a three-story garden-style apartment. Barnes was the first-arriving unit officer. His size-up revealed fire showing from the C side and reports of numerous persons trapped. Without the protection of a hoseline, with heavy smoke and high heat conditions, Willoughby and Barnes began a search on the third floor. They located a semi-conscious elderly female in the hallway. They removed the victim quickly to the exterior, where she was placed in care of EMS. Barnes and Willoughby returned to the interior and continued the primary search for additional victims.
#12: David Hawes, North Port, FL, Fire Rescue
On Nov. 5, 2015, a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed missed a turn in the road and crashed into a canal, landing upside-down in the water and trapping two occupants inside. North Port police were on scene in a few minutes, followed shortly by the first-due engine and rescue units. The engine driver jumped in the muddy canal and assisted police with opening the door and freeing the first victim; however, they were not able to reach the second victim. Lt. David Hawes, who is a fire instructor, knew that his SCBA could be used in shallow water for a short period of time. Hawes donned his SCBA from the engine and entered the vehicle. He was able to get into the car and find the second victim in the backseat, and pass him out safely to the waiting police and firefighters. Both agencies began CPR on the patients while paramedics secured airways and began ALS measures. Both patients regained pulses prior to reaching the hospital and were flown to trauma centers for additional treatment.
