 Photo Jamie Thompson Firefighters David Johnston and Keith Grant receive the Award for Valor at the FRI general session in Denver Friday morning. |
DENVER — Two firefighters who risked their lives to save two victims of an N.Y. apartment fire received the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor at Fire-Rescue International in Denver Friday.
Firefighters Keith A. Grant and David E. Johnston, both of the City of Watertown, N.Y., Fire Rescue Department were given the award, cosponsored by the International Association of Fire chiefs and Motorola, Inc., for their actions on December 8, 2007.
Early that morning, the City of Watertown Fire Rescue Department responded to a downtown structure fire. Significant flames and heavy black smoke were boiling up from the third floor of a four-story building, home to nearly 40 residents in 30 apartments. The fire alarm system was not operating and no one knew how many people had evacuated. Adding to the hazardous conditions and frigid temperatures, flames erupting from the front of the building threatened high-tension power lines. If they fell, they would land right on top of the firefighters.
At the rear of the building, Firefighters Keith Grant and David Johnston determined conditions were deteriorating so rapidly, they couldn’t wait for another engine to arrive. They climbed the rickety, wooden fire escape and found a victim, disoriented and suffering smoke inhalation, on the third-floor landing. They led him quickly down the stairs and turned him over to rescue personnel below.
Battling heavy smoke and flames, Grant and Johnston raced back up to the apartment to ensure no other victims were trapped inside. Crawling on his stomach through the doorway, Firefighter Johnston observed conditions were ripe for flashover and retreated. Within seconds, the apartment ignited into a raging inferno. As both firefighters pounded on the door of the neighboring apartment, they heard a victim barricaded inside; fire not only blocked his front door, but the rear door wouldn’t open. At the same time, command was ordering the firefighters off the fire escape as flames threatened to completely block their exit.
Without hesitation, Firefighter Johnston kicked open the door and rescued the victim inside. The fire was so intense, both firefighters literally laid on top of him to shield him from the radiant heat while they pulled him down to safety. Miraculously, he only suffered scrapes, burns and smoke inhalation.
Chief Daniel J. Gaumont, who nominated the two firefighters for the award said, “Clearly, if not for the heroic efforts of these two courageous and valiant firefighters, both of these innocent victims would have succumbed.”
The Award for Valor, the highest individual honor given by the IAFC was awarded once before to a Watertown firefighter, in 2000, also under Chief Gaumont. Gaumont was also honored again with the Department Leadership Award at the FRI’s general session Friday morning.