FH Heroism Awards for Toledo Fire

[WTFD10]

Congratulations to our brothers and sisters of the Toledo Department of Fire & Rescue Operations for two Unit Citations and an Honorable Mention to Engine 25.

Firefighter Scott Hathaway also received a Heroism Award for a dramatic 6th floor rescue.

[ff7134]

Good job Guys!!!

[firenresq77]

Originally posted by WTFD10
Congratulations to our brothers and sisters of the Toledo Department of Fire & Rescue Operations for two Unit Citations and an Honorable Mention to Engine 25.

Firefighter Scott Hathaway also received a Heroism Award for a dramatic 6th floor rescue.

Congrats..........

Moe, is there a story somewhere about this? Or about what incident this was from?

[WTFD10]

If you are talking about FF Hathaway, it's just a two sentence summary in the April Firehouse magazine. I'm guessing it was from the 4 alarm job at 610 Stickney last year. I can't recall any other working high-rise fires in the city lately.

I'm sure 730 can fill us in on this...

[Weruj1]

I beleive with FF Hathaway it from a person who lit their apartment on fire @ the TenEck Towers and would not evacuate. I was working that day............and they were calling for a code 3 police crew on the fire floor, but alas I really have no idea if it was for the incident that Moe was talkin about.

[WTFD10]

Josh, you're probably right. That is the description that is in FH mag.

Paging 730, confirm?

[Weruj1]

'77 who is the Lt. up there tonight ? can they advise ?

[firenresq77]

It was Steve. Sorry so late. They switched early on me tonight and didn't see this until now.......

[WTFDChief730]

I think Josh was pretty close on what kinda happened, I thought the fire was at the Ashland Manor apartments. I think the guy refused to leave his burning apartment and then tried to jump out the window and Scott pulled him back or something, I'll talk to Scott at shift change next day and get the details and reply back when I know for sure what happened. Scott is assigned to station 7.

[Weruj1]

could have been Ashland Manor .......... I knew it was one of those upscale places.

[WTFD10]

Firefighters saluted for rescue work

by Christina Hall, Toledo Blade

In the early morning hours of July 5, Toledo Firefighter Scott Hathaway broke down the front door of a man's sixth-floor unit in the Ashland Manor Apartments.
In the smoky central Toledo apartment, the 45-year-old man had barricaded himself inside a room. Mr. Hathaway was the first of his colleagues to get inside the room. He saw the man's foot on the window sill, as though he intended to jump.

The veteran firefighter grabbed the man, pulled him back, and wrestled with him. Officials later determined the man had set the blaze, which caused about $2,000 damage, in a suicide attempt.

"I was just doing my job," Mr. Hathaway said matter-of-factly yesterday of his heroic effort, which earned him one of the department's highest honors - the Medal of Commendation.

But Mr. Hathaway wasn't the only one recognized for saving lives and going beyond the call of duty. Nineteen other firefighters received either a Life Saving Award or a Certificate of Special Recognition during a ceremony in Government Center.

Many of those receiving awards spoke about their honors as humbly as Mr. Hathaway, and mentioned their colleagues who weren't recognized.

"Me, personally, I don't deserve any kind of reward," said Firefighter Michael Darrington, who received a Life Saving Award.

However, many of the firefighters' actions not only scored local

attention, but also were noted in a firefighting magazine.

Those receiving Life Saving Awards were:

Firefighters Michael Darrington, Michael Pelechaty, and James Sherman for pulling a trapped man from a burning truck after it hit two cars and a fuel pump. Another colleague, Jeff Martin, received a Certificate of Special Recognition for his efforts in the June 18 incident in which Mr. Pelechaty assisted even though he was off duty.

Firefighters Lucas Harman and Karen Marquardt and Lt. Richard Syroka for searching a house in zero visibility and high heat for victims of a fire Nov. 2.

They found two victims, one of whom died. Firefighter David Soldner, who drove the engine truck, was awarded a Certificate of Special Recognition.

Firefighters Patrick Early, Thomas Kalucki, and David Winsted; Lt. Michael Maraldo, and Capt. Glenn Gill for helping a colleague who fell into a burning basement March 6, 2003, by extinguishing threatening flames during the rescue and helping put out the blaze.

Others earning a Certificate of Special Recognition were:

Firefighters Terry Glaze, James Hauden, Gregory Lindner, Daniel O'Leary, and Denny Pickett for pulling an unconscious driver from a locked vehicle that was on fire Oct. 30.

Firefighter Joseph Westenkirchner for entering freezing water Dec. 4 in his normal work clothes to search a car and hole after the car crashed through a barrier and into the hole that was dug to access a water main.

Officials yesterday also remembered four firefighters who lost their lives and several others who were hurt badly 43 years ago in the Anthony Wayne Trail fire.

The Last Alarm Memorial marked the blaze in which a tank truck carrying 8,000 gallons of gasoline overturned, sparking one of the fiercest fires in the city's history.


http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040611/NEWS16/406110440/-1/NEWS