Each year, Firehouse receives more than 150 nominations for our Valor, Unit Citation and Community Service Awards. This year there were two Unit Citation nominations that highlighted the extreme and evolving hazards faced by firefighters around the nation. Unfortunately, in these two cases, these extreme hazards claimed the lives of one or more of their fellow firefighters. In honor of the members lost, Firehouse is proud to recognize the actions taken by each of the nominated crews—sharing the #1 ranking—in the response and rescue operations of one of their own. These men and women performed their duties with bravery and courageous actions representative of the highest traditions of the American fire service.
1. Prince George’s County, MD, Fire Department – Forestville and Morningside Volunteer Fire Departments
Forestville Paramedic Ambulance 823, Morningside Rescue Squad 827
On April 15, 2016, fire/EMS units from the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department’s Forestville and Morningside volunteer fire departments responded to a 9-1-1 call for a welfare check. Firefighters and medics arrived on scene, announced themselves and knocked on windows and doors of the house. There was no response.
At the urging of a family member, the crew forced entry through the front door. Upon doing so, the home occupant opened fire, striking Firefighter-Paramedic John Ulmschneider and Volunteer Firefighter Kevin Swain as well as the family member. Ulmschneider retreated to his unit, where his partner, Firefighter Aaron Van Schoonhoven, assessed him as having a gunshot wound to his chest. Two Morningside firefighters—Branden Fitch and Michael O’Brien—radioed for additional assistance, and a decision was made to load Ulmschneider in the ambulance and transport him to the nearest hospital.
Swain was at the bottom of the stairs of the front porch, still in the line of fire. Volunteer Captain David Riley and Volunteer Firefighter Shaquita Livingston saw that he was critically injured and unable to retreat under his own power, so they rushed to Swain and pulled him to safety behind their rig. Both Riley and Livingston sustained injuries in the process.
Riley and Livingston, along with Morningside Firefighter Matthew Ward, placed Swain into the rear of the heavy-duty rescue squad, vacated the immediate area and secured EMS care in a safe location. Riley drove the rig to a field and met EMS resources and Trooper 2, which transported Swain to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.
Swain spent weeks recovering from his injuries. Tragically, Ulmschneider died at the hospital.
1. Wilmington, DE, Fire Department
Engine 1, Skyboom 2, Squad 4, Engine 5, Squrt 3, Ladders 1 and 2
On Sept. 24, 2016, the Wilmington Fire Department responded to a basement fire in a two-story Type 3 constructed rowhouse with heavy smoke showing.
With reports of occupants trapped, Ladder 2 Lt. Christopher Leach and Firefighter Joseph Ryan began to make entry via the front door.
After the first floor flashed over and became fully involved, Engine 1 Lt. Eric Haley and Firefighter Brad Speakman and Engine 5 Lt. John Cawthray and Firefighter Ardythe Hope knocked the fire down and advanced into the house on the first floor. Ladder 2 completed a quick search of the living area and began to move toward the second floor to continue the search.
Squad 4 split into two teams: Lt. Burton Tyson and Firefighters Vinnie Denisio and Jacob Craig went to the front of the house to begin searches with Ladder 2, while Firefighters Jerry Fickes and Terry Tate reported to the rear of the house, where they reported three stories in the rear with heavy fire showing from the basement level.
Squad 4 Team 2 entered via the Bravo exposure to complete searches and check for extension. As Ladder 2’s crew (with support of Engine 5), began to move to the second floor and Engine 1’s crew began to push toward the basement steps, a catastrophic collapse of the living room floor occurred, sending Leach, Speakman and Hope into the fully involved basement, and forcing the other members operating on the first floor to dive out the front door as the fire conditions from the basement caused the first and second floor to flashover.
Command immediately transmitted a mayday for firefighters trapped. Tate and Fickes exited via the Bravo exposure and, without the protection of a handline, entered the basement to rescue the trapped members. Squad 4 Team 1 began to work from the front door to knock down the fire and get to the trapped members in the basement.
Craig was able to grab Speakman and pull him up from the basement and out the front door.
Fickes and Tate located Leach in the basement and began to move him toward the rear basement entrance. A second collapse then occurred, bringing the dining room and kitchen area flooring, furniture and appliances down on top of all three. Tate was removed immediately with burns to his hands and face. Additional RIT crews began knocking down the fire and pushing into the basement.
Crews found Fickes unconscious and in cardiac arrest, and then found Hope. Speakman, Fickes and Hope were each transported to Christiana Hospital.
After extensive search operations, Leach was located under approximately 3 feet of debris in the rear half of the basement. His body was removed and transported to Christiana Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Leach was posthumously promoted to captain.
Fickes and Hope succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. They were each posthumously promoted to lieutenant.
Speakman suffered second- and third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body. He was released from the hospital approximately one month after the incident.
2. South Metro Fire Rescue – Centennial, CO
Battalion Chief 34, Battalion Chief 41, Medic 41, Engine 43, Medic 44, Tower 45, Special Operations, Safety 33, METCOM
On Sept. 2, 2016, several Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Parker Police and South Metro Fire Rescue units responded to a report of an intoxicated, armed and possibly suicidal man at his home, located near a middle school.
METCOM contacted South Metro Medic 41—Paramedic Glen Maxson and Firefighter Matt Talafuse—about the incident, which was ultimately paged to a SWAT response. During Medic 41’s response, multiple additional law enforcement units responded as well as the Colorado State Patrol, and the Douglas County Regional SWAT of which Maxson is also a medic. Maxson contacted the team sergeant and was assigned to the Quick Reactionary Force (QRF) at the barricade established on Dixon Drive.
A unified incident command post was established at the school, and an incident action plan was created to deal with the subject as well as for the security of the perimeter, school and surrounding area.
Additional South Metro units that responded included Battalion 41 (Chief Anthony Vargo), Engine 43 (Acting Lt. Eric Ballard, Engineer Ken Wagner and PFF Travis Hitt), OEM 3 (Chief Steve Standridge) and Safety 33 (Captain Jake Mayhew). These units would eventually be supported by Battalion 34 (Chief Mike West), Medic 44 (Paramedic Supervisor Drew Mayers and Firefighter Mark Patterson) and Tower 45 (Lt. Jason Schierkolk, Engineer Mark Bennett, Firefighter Kris Binford and Firefighter Chris Phipps).
The suspect was observed loading weapons into a recreational vehicle. He then drove onto Dixon Drive, where he encountered the road block, and drove back onto his property. An order was given from the command post to not let the suspect back into his home, so detectives pursued the man, who then drove through the back of the lot and into the open field just north of the middle school.
The suspect began indiscriminately firing multiple rounds from an AK-47 in the direction of the officers, and officers returned fire. During the gun battle, the suspect shot Detective Dan Brite once in the upper torso, missing his body armor. Detectives called out “officer down” on the radio and continued to pursue and engage the suspect, who then began to drive erratically, eventually crashing near Parker Adventist Hospital.
Maxson ran to Brite and began extraction and assessment procedures. With the help of detectives, they moved Brite down to the barricade where they were met by Medic 41, now staffed with additional personnel from Engine 43. Maxson, Talafuse, Ballard and Hitt began trauma management procedures to include assessment, intubation, chest decompression and IVs.
While Medic 41 was transporting Brite to the ER, additional patrol officers were subduing the suspect only a few hundred feet from the ER entrance.
Brite survived and is currently continuing his rehabilitation in outpatient status.
3. Monroe, OH, Fire Department
Engine 61, Engine 62, Tower 61
On Aug. 13, 2016, the Monroe Fire Department was dispatched to a lightning strike at the Mount Pleasant Place Apartments, a three-story independent living complex housing approximately 70 residents.
Upon arrival of first-due Chief 60, heavy smoke was evident from the roof and eaves of the north wing. Following a 360 walk-around, it was determined to be a working fire in the roof, with multiple residents still in the building.
First-due Engine 61 was assigned to the north wing for entry, rescue and suppression. The Engine 61 lieutenant noted residents waving towels from third-floor windows. Fire had vented through the roof of the structure above the trapped occupants.
Tower 61 arrived and was assigned to set-up for possible rescue and/or master stream operations.
Second-due Engine 62 was immediately assigned to rescue with Engine 61. Both companies made entry utilizing interior stairs to the third floor, where they found an elderly female down in the hallway. At this point, smoke was banked down to waist level. The victim was removed to a waiting ambulance as crews continued to locate victims in hover chairs and walkers jammed into the stairwells.
Crews made entry into each apartment, removing victims to the interior stairways and down to the second floor. Crews were advised of possible shelter-in-place victims and had to force entry in several apartments.
As crews continued the task of removing victims, the smoke banked down further, to knee level, with ceiling components beginning to fall into the hallway.
Approximately six minutes after the last victim was removed, the roof collapsed into the third floor.
4. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
La Jolla Lifeguards Adam Larkin, Joseph Gaydos, Gabriel Liberman
On Jan. 23, 2016, after closing their towers for the day, Lifeguard I Gabe Liberman and Lifeguard II Joe Gaydos witnessed a swimmer entering the water at La Jolla Cove in extremely rough conditions and with a setting sun. Both responded back to the Cove tower and prepared to enter the 58-degree water.
Wearing only board shorts and a 2-mm wetsuit cap, and equipped with a rescue buoy, Liberman entered the water. Gaydos advised dispatch of the call and used the PA system to try to direct the swimmer back to shore, while warning her to stay away from the cliffs.
The distressed swimmer then swam into a treacherous portion of the Cove known as “the Hole.” During periods of surf, all of the surrounding water focuses into the hole, creating a washing machine effect with turbulent water and breaking waves.
Gaydos now entered the water, and he and Liberman attempted to locate the swimmer. They eventually discovered her in a crevice, and Gaydos tried to extricate her while Liberman acted as a spotter and called out sets. A break in the pounding surf finally came, and Gaydos was able to get the swimmer back into the water.
Lifeguard II Adam Larkin then swam into the Hole, and instructed the victim to hold onto both his and Liberman’s rescue buoys, and both swam the victim out along the rip current created by Razor Reef. The guards tried to time sets to attempt to bring the victim back into the 30-yard stretch of beach at the cove.
To reach this area, Gaydos and Larkin first towed the victim north, perpendicular to the cliff for 100 yards, then west for another 100 yards. During this time, sets in the 8-foot range were consistently breaking on the guards and the victim. The victim, in a state of shock and panic, repeatedly tried to abandon the rescuers and swim toward shore.
As the guards approached the zone from which they were planning on attempting a reentry, a set of 12-foot waves started stacking on the horizon. Gaydos and Larkin attempted to sprint outside to beat the set while towing the victim but were unsuccessful. The first wave broke directly on the heads of the guards and the victim. The guards were able to keep control of the victim, but with the next three waves in the set, the whole party was blown apart.
The victim was then blown back into the cove. The guards sprinted back in after her and secured her.
At this point, the guards knew the only option would be to wait for a surf boat to pick up the party and transport them into La Jolla Shores. There was still significant surf so the guards towed the victim to the quarter-mile buoy to await a vessel.
Once there, a surfer who had witnessed the event paddled up to the party and offered his surfboard as a floatation platform. Larkin used the board to paddle to Gold Fish Point to report the condition of the party to the guards on scene on the bluffs.
A surf boat operated by Lifeguard III John Bahl and crewed by Lifeguard III Jason Cull then arrived on scene and transported them to La Jolla Shores.
5. West Hempstead, NY, Fire Department
Chiefs 7600, 7601, 7602; Engine 763; Ladder 765
On Jan. 8, 2016, the West Hempstead Fire Department was alerted for a report of a building fire. Chief of Department Peter Lilli and Second Assistant Chief David Norton responded to the alarm, and while en route, learned that there were multiple residents trapped in the in a mixed-use building.
Upon arrival, Norton requested dispatch to transmit a second-alarm working building fire. Lilli performed a quick size-up, determining that this was a commercial strip of eight connected stores with 14 apartments above them. There was a large volume of fire erupting from two of the storefronts, and it was beginning to auto-expose to the second floor. Multiple residents were confirmed trapped on the second floor, with one hanging out of the window and heavy black smoke pushing out of all second-floor apartment windows.
As Lilli upgraded this to a third alarm, first-due Engine 763 and First Assistant Chief Michael Vogt both arrived on scene.
What would have been the only means of egress for all civilians from the second-floor apartments was a common interior wood staircase that had been completely compromised by fire, so Lilli immediately directed the engine crew to stretch a preconnected handline to the front of the two stores. While initially utilizing only tank water, the engine crew was able to drive the fire back into the store fronts, which allowed Vogt to ascend on a ground ladder and assist one of the trapped occupants out of the window and on to the ladder.
Simultaneously, police officers acquired a ladder from a nearby business and assisted other occupants from another second-floor window. Temporarily driving the fire back into the storefronts gave more trapped residents a means of egress from various second-floor windows onto additional ground ladders that were being placed both in the front and in the rear of the building by Ladder 765, being assisted by Norton.
Responding mutual-aid engine companies stretched additional handlines for an interior attack, while primary searches were being conducted by truck companies throughout the building. All primary and secondary searches were negative, and it was determined that all 13 residents who had been trapped were accounted for and safe outside.
Two residents were transported to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and released later that day.
6. Smithtown, NY, Fire Department
On Aug. 24, 2016, the Smithtown Fire Department was activated for an automatic alarm at the home of Hauppauge Fire Captain Tom Sidik. First on scene were Captain Tim Duckham, district first responder EMT-CC Tom Kriklava and Assistant Chief Pat Diecidue.
Duckham advised Diecidue of a working fire and occupants within. Finding no easy access after a 360-degree size-up, Duckham and Kriklava forced the front door, made entry and began to search without SCBA. They encountered a thick, choking smoke that filled the upper level of the house.
After partially searching the second floor, they exited the house and donned SCBAs from the chief’s vehicle and first responder car, and reentered to continue searching. Without an SCBA, Diecidue entered as well.
Duckham found a 3-year-old girl unconscious in a bedroom and, together with Diecidue, removed the victim. Kriklava, who had now also exited the building as well, determined that the victim was in respiratory arrest and began rescue breathing.
With the arrival of apparatus and staffing, Diecidue and Duckham informed them of where they had searched. Diecidue then handled interior operations for continued searches and firefighting efforts for the remainder of the alarm.
Engine 4-2-4 arrived on scene with Lt./Ex-Captain Joe Siggilino, Ex-Captain Jenn O’Brien, Firefighter Phil Migliorise and Chauffeur Josh Glas. Siggilino, and O’Brien started searching for two known victims, while Glas and Migliorise stretched a hoseline to protect searchers.
When Rescue 4-2-9 arrived, Lt. Matt Creamer split his crew to assist with the search: Creamer and Firefighter Chris Grebosz formed one search team, and Lt. Matthew Raia and Firefighters Ted Caputo and Joseph LaRocco formed a second team. Chauffeur Tim Mehlus set up the rescue truck, and Firefighters Anthony Ianuzzi and Brian Kugolian assisted with the 4-2-4 hoseline.
Engine 4-2-5 arrived, and Captain/Ex-Chief John Hansen had his crew stretch a second hoseline, assist with searching for victims and fire, and assist 4-2-4 with securing their water source. Lt. Andrew Kelly and Firefighters Ryan Burke, Thomas Marmann and Brandon Felice stretched a 5-inch supply line and a second interior hoseline to 4-2-4. Chauffeur Jonathon Garrison assisted the chauffeur of 4-2-4 and then secured a secondary water source. Once these lines were in place, the crew staffed the interior 1¾-inch hoseline.
During search efforts, O’Brien found the mother and her 3-month-old son unconscious in the bathroom and called for help. The victims were wedged between the vanity and the toilet. LaRocco freed the infant. O’Brien removed the infant from the house and began efforts to revive the victim along with EMT Trisha Higgins.
Crews removed the mother from the house and onto a waiting stretcher. Firefighters Alf Rasmussen and Salvatore Levanti started compressions and joined the EMS crew from Ambulance 4-2-61 in transporting the victim to the hospital.
Kelly and Burke returned to the crew of 4-2-5 on the hoseline. The split crews of 4-2-5 and 4-2-9 found the fire and extinguished it.
All three victims were removed from the involved house in respiratory/cardiac arrest. The two children were revived en route to the hospital and discharged after making a full recovery. The mother ultimately succumbed to her injuries several months later.
Honorable Mentions
Alameda County, CA, Fire Department
Engine 22
Caroline Fire-Rescue – Bowling Green, VA
Squad 2, District Chief 20
Chicago Fire Department
Squads 2, 5; 515 and 520
Chicago Fire Department
Engine 120, Engine 93, Truck 24, Truck 40
Chicago Fire Department
Engine 78
Chicago Fire Department
Engine 72, Tower Ladder 34, Engine 126, Truck 49
Chicago Fire Department
Engine 19, Truck 11, Ambulance 4, Ambulance 686
City of Cleveland, OH
Hook & Ladder 30
City of Richmond, VA, Department of Fire & EMS
Rescue 10, Truck 10
City of Richmond, VA, Department of Fire & EMS
Engine Company 11-B
City of Riverside, CA, Fire Department
Engine 4, Squad 1
Duncanville, TX, Fire Department
B Shift
Eden, NC, Fire Department
C Shift
Fitchburg, MA, Fire Department
Engine Co. 4, Ladder Co. 3
Fresno, CA, Fire Department
Truck 10
Gulfport, MS, Fire Department
Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) – Gulfport FD Rescue Company #13
Platte Canyon Fire District – Bailey, CO
Fire Station 2 C Shift
Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department – Accokeek and Allentown Road Volunteer Fire Departments
Engine 824, Ambulance 824, Medic 847
Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department
Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department – Engine 801 staffed by Berwyn Heights Station 814
Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department
Silver Hill Fire Engine 829/EMS Station 829
Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department
RIC on Engine 820/Upper Marlboro; Safety Officer 800; Ritchie Volunteer Fire Department crew on Truck 837
South Metro Fire Rescue – Centennial, CO
Battalion Chief 34, Battalion Chief 41, Medic 41, Engine 43, Medic 44, Tower 45, Special Operations, Safety 33
St. Louis, MO, Fire Department
Truck 17A
Wichita, KS, Fire Department
Engine 2, Squad 2
Wichita, KS, Fire Department
Water Rescue Team
Wichita, KS, Fire Department
Firehouse 22
