1998 Rescue Award Winners Page 6

On March 2, 1998, off duty Firefighter John C. Skinner, Engine 19, assisted Westerville Fire at the scene of a working fire in a commercial garage. Skinner first assisted in bringing two burn victims away from the burning building and began first aid.

When fire crews arrived Firefighter Skinner, without protective clothing and fully aware of the explosive dangers present, continually entered the hazard zone helping the crews in any way he could. Later he helped prepare the victims for transport, which resulted in a higher level of effective care for the victims.

John Skinner, Columbus, OH FD

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Truck 82 was returning from a medical call when the alarm for a structure fire sounded. Dispatch stated that a frantic woman said that her house was on fire and that she couldn’t find her son. Truck 82 arrived to find heavy smoke and flames involving the single family home. The mother was looking for her five year old son. She said that he had been born prematurely and was on home oxygen.

The first – in crew from Truck 82 advanced their hoseline to the fire room in the basement to extinguish the fire and conduct a search. Firefighter Stembridge was instructed to search the rest of the house for the missing child. He and Firefighter Killion got a charged hoseline and went to the main floor of the house to begin their search. Killion went right, toward the undamaged part of the house.

Stembridge went left, directly over the fire room, and began his search amidst heavy smoke and heat. He felt the unconscious child lying behind a large chair, grabbed him and carried him outside to waiting medical personal. Stembridge then reentered the building to continue in the suppression efforts. The child survived.

Rex Stembridge, Murray City, UT FD

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On July 9, 1998, Firefighter Jerome Smith, Ladder 15, traveling with his wife and children, came upon an auto accident at James Road and Livingston Ave. A pickup truck had sheared off an electric pole. Fire crews had not yet arrived. With wires arcing and on fire, and the truck leaking gas, Smith rushed to the aid of the victim still trapped inside.

Arriving units joined Smith in rescuing this victim. He and two other victims were in need of first aid, which Smith provided to supplement the efforts of the responding companies. Although off duty and without his protective gear, he willingly placed himself in danger above and beyond the call of duty.

Jerome Smith, Columbus, OH FD

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From the Commissioner of the Boston FD: On May 27, 1998, at 1645 hours, Box 3115 was struck for a building fire at 24 Hamilton Street, District 7. A few minutes prior to this, Firefighter George S. Thibodeaux, Engine Company 4, while off duty, noticed heavy smoke in the area. He arrived before apparatus and was informed of people in the building.

Upon entering the building he encountered heavy smoke and fire on the second floor where he directed three adult males out of the building. He then found two more people, one semi-conscious, whom he removed to the street. As he entered again, another person came falling down the interior stairs. He removed this person to the street. The fire went to three alarms and damaged five buildings.

Personal tragedy was averted because of his quick action. Because these rescues were performed under great personal risk without the benefit of protective gear, ventilation, or a charged line, the Fire Commissioner is pleased to highly commend Firefighter George S. Thibodeaux of Engine Company 4.

George Thibideaux, Boston, MA FD

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Engine 12 was dispatched to a fire at 1657 Carrigallen Lane. They were confronted with a working fire in the rear of the residence with smoke belching from the front. Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Warnimont and Lt. Thomas Christ advanced a line in the front door of the building and down a hallway toward the rear.

Warnimont opened the nozzle and was attacking the fire when he yelled that his knees were burning. Christ told him to hit the floor with the stream from the nozzle, which he did. In a matter of seconds he was again screaming that his knees were burning. Nonetheless he stayed in the fire fight, knowing he was burned, until he and Christ blackened down all of the fire and his SCBA low air alarm bell sounded.

At this point he asked permission to leave the structure and Lt. Christ agreed. Although Warnimont has been a firefighter for less than four years, the courage and professionalism he showed in the face of danger was that of a seasoned veteran with many years of service. He suffered second degree burns to his face and left knee.

Michael Warnimont, Columbus, OH FD

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From the Boston Fire Department Citation for Bravery: On June 2, 1998, while off duty and visiting at a friend’s home, Captain Peter P. Pearson, Ladder Company 24, was alerted by a neighbor that there was a fire in the neighbor’s house. He ran to the house, where he found a garden hose in the back yard.

He entered the home into the heavy smoke filled family room, where he located and extinguished the fire. Because his actions were performed under great personal risk without protective clothing and before ventilation, the Fire Commissioner is pleased to highly commend Fire Captain Peter P. Pearson of Ladder Company 24, and refers his case to the Board of Merit for further consideration.

Peter Pearson, Boston, MA FD

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Photograph Not Available	Photograph Not Available
Don Erbin Kuhl Hose Company, Erie PA	Joseph Petrone Kuhl Hose Company, Erie PA

At 10:14 pm on October 9th, 1998 a fire was reported in a residence at 8096 Knoyle road. As fire apparatus responded, Chief Joe Petrone and Deputy Chief Don Erbin responded in their personal vehicles to the scene. Upon their arrival they found a trailer with heavy smoke and fire in the front of the structure.
Neighbors on the scene reported that the resident still inside. With fire fighting equipment not yet on scene, neither chief had hose lines or breathing apparatus. Without thought of his personal safety, Chief Petrone entered the structure through a rear door, followed by Deputy Chief Erbin.
They were met with heavy smoke and intense heat. As they searched the corridor and rooms they found the resident in bed asleep. He was awakened by Petrone but was quickly overcome by smoke. Petrone removed him from the room and with Erbin’s help evacuated him from the building.
Because of the heavy fire in the main portion of the mobile home and the heavy smoke throughout the structure, the resident’s potential for survival until fire fighters with equipment and breathing apparatus arrived was poor. The heroic efforts of Chief Petrone and Deputy Chief Erbin undoubtedly saved this mans life.

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While off duty on December 28, 1997, Firefighter Yanes noticed smoke coming from a single-family house. Without the protection of a hoseline and protective gear, he entered the premises to notify the occupants that their house was on fire, conducted a preliminary search prior to the arrival of responding firefighter crews, and assisted family members in escaping the burning house.
Firefighter Yanes remained on the scene and continued to assist these crews in battling the fire.

Mark Yanes, Miami-Dade, FL Fire/Rescue

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On November 27, 1997, at 4:30 AM (Thanksgiving morning) Engine 46 responded to a box alarm of fire at 8094 Lyford. Upon arrival, Engine 46 was informed of children trapped. Without the aid of a charged hoseline, and with disregard for his own safety, Firefighter Steve Refenes entered the building and began a search.
Through flame , intense heat., and thick black smoke, Firefighter Refenes found an unconscious child in the back bedroom. He left the burning house and carried the child to a newly arrived medic unit. Firefighter Refenes’ fearless act of dedication exemplifies the unselfish professionalism of the Detroit Fire Department.

Steve Refenes, Detroit, MI FD
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On May 20, 1998, Fire Fighter Kenneth Jones, Engine Company 39, was summoned from a paid detail in the area to assist a person who had collapsed at the Chart House Restaurant, 60 Long Wharf.
He found an elderly woman on the second floor in cardiac arrest. He initiated CPR and continued unassisted until the arrival of apparatus and then assisted with defibrillation procedures. Because of his dedicated actions, this woman can be counted as a survivor.

Kenneth Jones, Boston, MA FD

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Firefighter Edward Erickson responded with Rescue 32 to a house fire and found a corner of the building to be fully engulfed, with a victim still inside. Since Rescue 32 did not have a pump, Erickson forced the door open without a hoseline and, with other crew members, searched the house.
He found an elderly female victim and pulled her to safety. The patient was airlifted to the local trauma center in serious but stable condition with burns in her respiratory tract. She made a full recovery.

Edward Erickson, Metro-Dade Fire Rescue, Miami, FL

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At 0550 on June 13, 1998, Engine 1 was first due at a fire near Jackson and Magazine in a two story wood frame house. The fire developed into 3 alarms. Learning that there were people trapped in the structure, Firefighter Dalferes jumped from engine 1, set up a ladder, and climbed to the second floor.
He crawled through a window and found an invalid inside. The building was charged with smoke, and fire blocked the stairway, so Dalferes carried the invalid down the ladder to safety.

Charles F. Dalferes, New Orleans, LA FD

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On March 16, 1998, at BankBoston, a male suspect stole money from a female customer. Another male customer tried to stop the fleeing suspect but was overpowered.
Upon being informed of this incident, off duty Captain William J. Meyer, Personnel Division, present as a customer in the bank, ran outside in pursuit, tackled the suspect and restrained him until the arrival of bank security guards and Boston Police officers.

William J. Meyer, Boston, MA FD
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On August 7, 1998, at 4:27 AM, Ladder Company 17 responded to a six alarm fire. The company positioned the apparatus in the rear of the six story retail and residential building, raising the aerial ladder to rescue occupants on the upper floors.
Firefighter Kevin Mitchell climbed the aerial ladder and found a woman in a fourth floor window that was engulfed in heavy smoke. As he was taking her onto the aerial ladder, fire broke out from windows directly below. To avoid being burned, he put her back into the window, placed his face piece on the woman, and led her to the interior stairway.

Unable to use the stairway because of heat and heavy smoke, he led her back to the window. At this point a 2 ½" line knocked down the heavy fire on the third floor. Mitchell removed the face piece, placed the woman on the aerial ladder, and guided her to the ground.

Kevin G. Mitchell, Boston, MA FD

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On February 5, 1998, Firefighter Frank Barbato responded with Engine 13 to a fire with a report of people trapped upstairs. Barbato entered the house, saw that firefighters were already on the primary stairway, and searched for an alternative route to the second floor.
As a 13-year veteran with extensive firefighting experience in the neighborhood, he knew that this style home would have a second staircase. He climbed that staircase and met heat and thick smoke banking down to the floor. He could hear a hoseline discharging and noises from the attack team on the second floor in the front area.

Although he did not have a charged hoseline and there was no ventilation in the rear of the house, Barbato began a primary search of the second floor. He found four year old Steven Jones hiding under a pile of blankets in the center of one of the bedrooms. Barbato immediately carried Steven downstairs to safety.

Frank Barbato, Rochester, NY FD
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