|
"Day after day, the more than 45,000
firefighters in Illinois put their lives on the line to protect
their fellow citizens, and tragically, some have made the ultimate
sacrifice in the line of duty," Gov. Blagojevich said. "Because of
some extraordinarily brave actions by the firefighters being
recognized here today, several citizens are alive and very thankful
for these men they consider heroes."
The ceremony began with an invocation
at the Illinois Fallen Firefighter Memorial, followed by a
processional to the State Armory for the awards ceremony.
The late Jeffrey C. Bergstrom, a
firefighter and paramedic with the Stone Park Fire Department, was
honored with the Duty Death Gold Badge award. The award is presented
to families of firefighters deceased in, or as a result of, the
performance of duty.
State Fire Marshal J.T. Somer
presented Medal of Honor awards to three firefighters who he said
faced grave personal danger to save the lives of others. The Medal
of Honor is the highest award given to firefighters by the state of
Illinois.
"As a firefighter myself for more
than 30 years, I have a great appreciation for the inherent dangers
of our profession," Somer said. "Without a doubt, the acts of
heroism we honor here today are truly above and beyond the call of
duty -- the types of actions that make me proud to be part of the
fire services."
The three firefighters receiving the
Medal of Honor were selected for their acts of outstanding bravery
or heroism, by which they demonstrated selflessness and personal
courage above and beyond the call of duty, under adverse conditions,
with the possibility of extreme personal risk.
Medal of
Honor recipients:
-
Lt.
Daniel Mullaney, Chicago Fire Department -- On Dec. 26, 2003, Lt.
Mullaney and his company were the first on the scene of a fire at
a low-rise Chicago Housing Authority building. When he learned
children were trapped inside, he ran into the building, located
the two girls and carried them to safety, even after being knocked
down by the force of a "flash-over."
-
Lt.
Joseph Casagrande, Lockport Township Fire District -- On May 27,
2004, off-duty Lt. Casagrande responded to a house explosion near
his house. An elderly woman was trapped beneath rubble. He
attempted to extricate her himself, communicated extrication
equipment requirements to the responding company and remained with
the victim during the entire rescue effort.
-
Lt.
David Wallace, Litchfield Fire Department -- On June 7, 2004, Lt.
Wallace was the first firefighter on the scene of a rapidly moving
mobile home fire. While assessing the situation, he discovered a
man lying on the floor. Realizing there was little time to save
him, Wallace quickly entered the burning structure and pulled the
victim to safety.
In
addition, 11 firefighters were recognized for acts of heroism or
bravery that clearly demonstrated courage and dedication in the face
of danger. Medal of Valor award recipients were:
-
Firefighter/Medic Joseph Newton, Westmont Fire Department
-
Capt.
Rick Bocek, Westmont Fire Department
-
Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Gale, Lockport Township Fire
District
-
Lt. James
Barnett, Lincolnwood Fire Department
-
Lt. Karl
Crist, Fulton Fire Protection District
-
Firefighter Barry Lederer, Northlake Fire Department
-
Firefighter Kevin Kalbach, Northlake Fire Department
-
Lt.
Joseph Johnson, Northlake Fire Department
-
Apprentice Engineer John Urbanski, Tinley Park Fire Department
-
Assistant
Fire Chief Thomas Slepski, Tinley Park Fire Department
-
Lt. James Owczarski, Tinley Park
Fire Department
Certificate of Recognition awards acknowledge those nominated for
awards for their dedication to the principles and traditions of the
fire service. The 2004 Certificate of Recognition award recipients
were:
-
Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Durand, Stone Park Fire Department
-
Paramedic
Steve Cumpston, Northlake Fire Department
-
Paramedic
Mike Millhuff, Northlake Fire Department
-
Capt.
Dennis Gotkowski, Tinley Park Fire Department
-
Lt.
Kenneth Roemer, Tinley Park Fire Department
-
Firefighter George Daly, Tinley Park Fire Department
-
Firefighter Robert Buttala, Tinley Park Fire Department
-
Firefighter Timothy Brooks, Tinley Park Fire Department
-
Engineer
William Proper, Tinley Park Fire Department
The awards presented Thursday
recognized heroic actions during 2004. Nominations were reviewed and
winners selected by the 10-member Illinois Firefighting Medal of
Honor Committee.
* * *
Stories about the events for which
the Medal of Honor and Medal of Valor award winners were selected
follow.
Lt. Daniel Mullaney, Chicago Fire
Department, 2005 Firefighting Medal of Honor recipient
On Dec. 26, 2003, Lt. Mullaney was
on Truck 15 going to get fuel when he spotted smoke from a fire at a
low-rise Chicago Housing Authority apartment building, just blocks
from where they were. They were the first company on the scene, and
a citizen came running out of the building screaming that there were
kids trapped inside. As the firefighters approached the scene,
Mullaney also noticed a man who was breaking the building's windows,
which was making matters worse. The smoke started to get really
thick, and he knew there wasn't much time.
Mullaney grabbed his gear and ran
inside the building. He didn't even have time to retrieve his boots
from the truck. Running up to the second floor, he found the first
girl unconscious in the front bedroom. He grabbed her and began to
crawl toward the door when the room "flashed over" with flames. He
knew that with the windows having been broken out, the smoldering
fire would be exposed to oxygen, which would cause an explosion.
Everything lit up and the force even knocked him down. He made it
out of the room, went down the stairs and handed the girl to a
citizen. He then ran back up the stairs to find the other youth. He
found her lying near her bed and pulled her out. As he crawled back
to the stairway, he met Lt. Kevin Hicks of Truck 11, who assisted
him.
Engine 19, which had paramedic Keith
McDermott on board, also responded to the call and was already
working to resuscitate the first rescued girl. Peter O'Sullivan from
Truck 11 began to resuscitate the second girl.
The fire was contained to the
bedroom, and crews extinguished the flames within 10 minutes. Both
girls suffered second-degree burns but are doing well at this time.
For an outstanding act of unselfish
courage and heroism, which he demonstrated in great degree above and
beyond the call of duty, Lt. Mullaney of the Chicago Fire Department
was awarded the Firefighting Medal of Honor.
Lt. Joseph Casagrande, Lockport
Township Fire District, 2005 Firefighting Medal of Honor recipient
On May 27, 2004, a massive house
explosion rocked the neighborhood in the 1800 block of Nicholson in
Crest Hill.
Lockport Township Fire District Lt.
Joe Casagrande was off duty and in his residence in the same area.
After hearing and feeling the explosion, he ran from his home to
Nicholson Street. Upon arrival on the scene, he encountered a house
that had completely collapsed and had debris strewn about the area
in all directions. Approximately one-quarter of the entire floor
area had collapsed into the basement. Casagrande quickly learned
that a female occupant was trapped in the rubble.
While the Lockport Township Fire
District was responding, he took the initiative to enter the
compromised structure to search for the trapped occupant. A fire in
one area of the debris caused additional concerns; however, he took
immediate action. Without regard for his own personal safety, and
without any protective or safety equipment available, he climbed
through and under the rubble to locate the victim. The 94-year-old
female victim was conscious and responded to him. Her legs were
pinned under debris, and he worked feverishly in an attempt to
extricate her from the structure.
Upon arrival of fire companies, he
communicated with company officers and advised them of the victim's
condition and the requirements for extricating her. Fire companies
brought in extrication equipment and protective hose lines and
successfully worked to remove the victim. Casagrande remained with
her during the entire rescue effort and continued to assure her that
she would be removed. The victim was rescued and transported to the
Loyola University Medical Center Burn Unit by helicopter.
Casagrande acted without hesitation
and quickly worked to rescue a trapped occupant from a collapsed and
burning structure. During this effort, he received several
lacerations and was treated at the scene. His selfless and heroic
actions were responsible for locating and rescuing the victim.
For an outstanding act of unselfish
courage and heroism, which he demonstrated in great degree above and
beyond the call of duty, Lt. Casagrande of the Lockport Township
Fire District was awarded the Firefighting Medal of Honor.
Lt. David Wallace, Litchfield Fire
Department, 2005 Firefighting Medal of Honor recipient
On June 7, 2004, the Litchfield Fire
Department was dispatched to a fully involved mobile home fire. The
911 dispatch center also reported that two victims might be trapped
in the home.
Lt. David Wallace responded directly
to the fire scene since the location was near his home. He was the
first on the scene and reported that heavy fire was coming from the
front of the mobile home. He continued to assess the situation and
proceeded to the rear of the home, where he found heavy smoke
emanating from an enclosed porch. His assessment indicated that the
only chance for rescue would be from the rear porch.
Fire apparatus had not yet arrived
on the scene, and Wallace did not have access to his own bunker
gear. He carefully opened the rear door to visually search for any
viable victims. As he swept the beam of light from his flashlight,
he spotted a victim lying approximately 5 feet inside the rear door.
With the situation deteriorating rapidly and the first-in engine yet
to arrive, Wallace realized the only chance for survival of this
victim was to perform the rescue immediately. He bravely entered the
porch area, grabbed the victim and pulled him safely to the
exterior. Upon exiting the porch, Wallace was soon met by the
first-in firefighters with an attack line, who then assisted in
removing the victim to a safe location.
The victim was provided oxygen and
medical care. He was transported to St. Frances Hospital in
Litchfield, where he was stabilized, and then airlifted to Memorial
Medical Center in Springfield. He has recovered and returned to his
home in Litchfield.
Wallace's heroic and unselfish
action resulted in the saving of a human life and has brought great
pride and honor upon himself, the Litchfield Fire Department and the
fire services of Illinois.
For an outstanding act of unselfish
courage and heroism, which he demonstrated in great degree above and
beyond the call of duty, Lt. Wallace of the Litchfield Fire
Department was awarded the Firefighting Medal of Honor.
[to top of second column in this article] |
Lt. James R. Barnett, Lincolnwood
Fire Department, 2005 Firefighting Medal of Valor recipient On Jan. 23, 2004, Lt. James Barnett
of the Lincolnwood Fire Department was at home on his porch when he
heard a commotion coming from his neighbor's residence. He overheard
the neighbor's daughters coughing and asking each other if they
should call 911. He headed next door to find out if they needed
assistance when his pager went off with regard to a structure fire
at that address. He instructed the neighbors to wait outside and
wait for the fire department, and he proceeded into the residence,
where he discovered a fourth child, whom he removed from the house.
He then entered the residence again
and found that the kitchen was on fire. The fire was rapidly
engulfing the entire kitchen area and was about to reach the ceiling
when he started spraying the fire with the kitchen faucet sprayer.
The sprayer had little pressure, so he started filling glasses of
water at the same time and throwing the water on the fire until it
was extinguished. When he opened the front door to get some
ventilation going, the fire department arrived on the scene. He
turned it over to them and exited the residence.
Barnett had hair from his face and
arms singed as he was trying to extinguish the fire. Thanks to his
quick thinking, fast actions and resourcefulness, he was able to
save the residence from severe damage.
For an act of bravery that clearly
demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of danger while in
the performance of duty, Lt. James Barnett of the Lincolnwood Fire
Department was awarded the Firefighting Medal of Valor.
* * *
Lt. Karl Crist, Fulton Fire
Protection District, 2005 Firefighting Medal of Valor recipient
On March 9, 2004, two occupants of a
burning apartment building were hanging out the rear window of a
two-story building. They were trapped by the fire and could not get
to the fire exits. With fire reaching under the eaves of the roof
and radiant heat permeating the second floor, Lt. Crist and Police
Sgt. Tom Hochbaum found a ladder at a neighboring residence and
raised it to the second-floor window. Lt. Crist ascended the ladder,
without protective gear or self-contained breathing apparatus, to
assist the two occupants onto the ladder and down to safety.
For an act of bravery that clearly
demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of danger while in
the performance of duty, Lt. Karl Crist of the Fulton Fire
Department was awarded the Firefighting Medal of Valor.
* * *
Apprentice Engineer John Urbanski,
Assistant Fire Chief Thomas Slepski and Lt. James Owczarski, Tinley
Park Fire Department, 2005 Firefighting Medal of Valor recipients
On Monday, Dec. 27, 2004, the Tinley
Park Fire Department responded to a 911 call for a structure fire at
17424-94th Court. Station 3 had just returned from two previous
calls when the tone was sent out for the structure fire. Being only
four blocks from the scene, Engine 203 arrived simultaneously and
reported heavy smoke showing from the front of the 1½-story raised
ranch house.
On arrival, firefighters observed a
female civilian standing on a stepladder holding the hand of her
10-year-old son, Ron, who was hanging out the second-floor window.
She informed the firefighters that a second child was still inside
and that both were autistic. Three crewmembers, Lt. James Owczarski,
Engineer William Proper and Firefighter George Daley, went to work
removing the child from the bedroom window, which was 7 feet above
the ground. A great deal of care was needed to safely rescue the
victim, as window shards had to be removed during heavy heat and
smoke conditions. As the crew was attempting the rescue, the
autistic child resisted help by grabbing the inside of the window
frame, preventing the firefighters from pulling him from the scene,
and he actually went back inside the bedroom. They were able to
reach him and remove him.
Two additional crewmembers made a
primary search of the bedrooms and attacked the fire with a 1¾-inch
line to the lower level, where it appeared the fire had started.
Others entered the building to search again for the second child.
The crews were told the second child was in the bedroom on the north
side of the house. Under extreme heat and smoke conditions, a second
search of the bedroom area found no child. This search was repeated.
A search of the living room and
dining area revealed nothing until ventilation allowed for smoke
conditions to improve slightly. Then Assistant Chief Thomas Slepski
and Apprentice Engineer John Urbanski found an 11-year-old child,
Nathan, in the kitchen area. Nathan was removed and taken into care
by paramedics, and both boys were taken to local hospitals in
critical condition.
In any fire scene with heavy smoke,
it can be extremely difficult to find victims still in the
residence, but add to the mix children with disabilities that affect
the ability to communicate effectively, and the rescue becomes much
more difficult. Thanks to the persistent and diligent efforts of
these individuals, two children were rescued and still continue to
recover from their injuries.
For an act of bravery that clearly
demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of danger while in
the performance of duty, Apprentice Engineer John Urbanski,
Assistant Fire Chief Thomas Slepski and Lt. James Owczarski of
Tinley Park Fire Department were awarded the Firefighting Medal of
Valor.
* * *
Firefighter/Paramedic Michael E.
Gale, Lockport Township Fire District, 2005 Firefighting Medal of
Valor recipient
On May 23, 2004, a massive house
explosion rocked the neighborhood in the 1800 block of Nicholson in
Crest Hill. Lockport Township Fire District Firefighter/Paramedic
Mike Gale was off duty at his residence in the same neighborhood.
Upon hearing and feeling the explosion he ran to see if he could
help.
When Gale arrived at the scene,
there was total destruction to the exploding house and the
neighboring house. There were numerous bystanders who were anxious
to help, so he kept the crowd under control while he assessed the
situation. He then contacted the battalion chief and reported
exactly what was happening and what was being done at that time. He
was able to make contact with a male victim and determine that
another victim was still trapped in the rubble. After performing a
quick assessment of the patient, Gale secured bystander assistance
to aid the victim until an ambulance arrived. Gale was able to use
his cell phone to make contact with Lt. Casagrande, who was
attempting to locate the other victim in the destruction.
Since bystanders were trying to
assist, Gale knew it was necessary to control the situation to
prevent further injuries. He secured tools from a neighbor and shut
off the valve on the natural gas meter, which was feeding the fire
in the structure. He then gathered several people to secure parts of
the building and provide additional safety to Casagrande, who was
making his way toward the victim. While shoring up parts of the
collapsed structure, Gale relayed vital information to the
responding battalion chief.
Firefighter Gale acted without
hesitation in providing assistance to the victim and firefighters.
His ability to solicit and coordinate assistance from willing
bystanders helped to prevent possible injury of a fellow firefighter
on the inside attending to a trapped victim. His quick actions and
excellent communication with the battalion chief helped to secure
the area and provide additional safety for responders as well as the
bystanders.
For an act of bravery that clearly
demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of danger while in
the performance of duty, Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Gale of the
Lockport Township Fire Department was awarded the Firefighting Medal
of Valor.
* * *
Firefighter/Paramedic Joseph Newton
and Capt. Rick Bocek, Westmont Fire Department, 2005 Firefighting
Medal of Valor recipients
On Nov. 2, 2004, Capt. Rick Bocek
and Firefighter/Paramedic Joseph Newton were the first-in engine
company at a house fire in Westmont. While searching for the seat of
the apartment fire, Newton heard a faint cough, muffled by smoke,
over the noise of emergency sirens and crews responding. He summoned
the aid of his officer, Capt. Bocek, and started searching for the
victim. Newton soon found her lying in a hall nearby. She was only
semiconscious, unable to save herself or call for help. Together
with Bocek, Newton carried her to safety and delivered her to
awaiting emergency medical care personnel. The victim suffered from
significant smoke inhalation and was barely conscious and quite
confused.
If it weren't for the actions of
Newton and Bocek, this woman would have succumbed to the smoke
inhalation and perished.
For an act of bravery that clearly
demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of danger while in
the performance of duty, Firefighter/Paramedic Joseph Newton and
Capt. Rick Bocek of the Westmont Fire Department were awarded the
Firefighting Medal of Valor.
* * *
Firefighter Kevin Kalbach,
Firefighter Barry Lederer and Lt. Joseph Johnson, Northlake Fire
Protection District, 2005 Firefighting Medal of Valor recipients
On April 27, 2004, at approximately
1737 hours, the Northlake Fire Protection District, Engine 807, and
the Stone Park Fire Department, Engine 911, mutually responded to a
reported structure fire in Leyden Township. The cause of the fire
was later determined to be arson.
Engine 911 was traveling northbound
on Mannheim Road and Engine 807 was traveling eastbound on Armitage.
Northlake Engine 807 began crossing the northbound lanes of Mannheim
Road as Stone Park Engine 911 entered the intersection. The first
impact occurred in the southeast quadrant of the intersection. The
front of Engine 911 collapsed inward, causing the crushing injuries
sustained by the driver, whose legs were pinned between the driver's
seat and the dash.
The force and position of the impact
caused Engine 911 and Engine 807 to violently rotate clockwise.
Engine 911 then rotated approximately 180 degrees and simultaneously
rolled onto its left side. Northlake Engine 807 continued eastbound
and rotated approximately 320 degrees. Engine 807 came to rest on
the north side of Armitage, east of the intersection. Each of the
fire engines had three firefighters on board.
The three Northlake firefighters --
Lt. Joseph Johnson, Firefighter Kevin Kalbach and Firefighter Barry
Lederer -- exited their vehicle and, without regard for their own
injuries, emotional and physical, rushed to collect the necessary
tools, such as the extrication equipment, to extricate the driver
from the Stone Park fire engine. The tools from both fire engines
had been thrown from the vehicles and were spread over an 85-foot
area.
The driver of the Northlake engine
declared emergency traffic to the dispatch center and requested that
ambulances and assistance be sent to the scene. The Northlake
firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in the passenger cabin
of the Engine 911 and effect the rescue of the entrapped driver of
the Stone Park engine. The Northlake firefighters simultaneously
began medical treatment to the officer who had been ejected and the
critically wounded driver of Stone Park's engine.
Northlake Ambulance 817 paramedics
arrived on scene only moments after impact and also requested the
medevac helicopter on scene. Medics began working on Stone Park
firefighter Bergstrom, who had been ejected from the vehicle. The
Northlake firefighters would not accept medical treatment or comfort
until the Stone Park firefighters had left the scene. A medevac
helicopter flew the Stone Park officer to Loyola University Medical
Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The other Stone
Park firefighters were transported by ground ambulance.
For their acts of bravery, which
clearly demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of danger
while in the performance of duty, Firefighter Kevin Kalbach,
Firefighter Barry Lederer and Lt. Joseph Johnson of Northlake Fire
Protection District were awarded the Firefighting Medal of Valor.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
