By Heather Ratcliffe
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
ST. LOUIS — Five city firefighters who pulled survivors from burning buildings last year were honored for their heroics at a ceremony Thursday at fire department headquarters.
They were the only Missouri recipients this year of heroism awards from Firehouse magazine. Each received a certificate and a $100 check.
Those recognized were Capt. Jim Willie and firefighters Mike Dasher, Matt Taylor, Ken Walters and Mike Berra.
Their stories appeared in the trade magazine’s April 2009 issue.
Willie, Dasher and Taylor rescued three children from a house fire in May 2008 in the 1300 block of Burd Avenue. While a fire consumed the first-floor kitchen, the three made their way through smoke to the second floor and saved three boys, ages 8 months, 1 and 14.
In August 2008, Walters and Berra rescued two men from a fire in their second-floor apartment. One man was just inside the apartment’s front door. The firefighters found the second man unconscious in a bedroom.
Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson praised the men and their cohorts who contributed to the rescues. “It’s really a big team effort,” he said. “These guys did their job — to go in and rescue people.”
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