By Jon Bleiweis
Catonsville Times
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Over the course of his 25-year career as a Baltimore County firefighter — the last 16 in Halethorpe — Lt. John Schreiber Jr. never had to rescue any children from fire. That changed Dec. 23, when first responders were called to an apartment fire in Lansdowne.
Upon learning there may have been children in the building, Schreiber, 48, led a search of the apartment, and found two children, ages 10 and 6, in a bedroom unconscious and in cardiac arrest.
Schreiber coordinated the effort to rescue the two children, who were taken to a hospital.
“You’re trying to do the job because that’s what you’re assigned to do but your adrenaline is high because there is someone you believe is in there,” he said. “I was fortunate to have good crews with me that day and we could get them out before their bodies succumbed to too much heat.”
For his efforts, Schreiber was awarded a Bronze Star by the Baltimore County Fire Department, during the department’s annual commendations ceremony in Towson.
The award, according to the fire department, is the third highest award given to fire personnel and the highest award given out over the course of the evening. It is “awarded to members who, in the course of direct firefighting or rescue operations, perform acts of exceptional intelligence and bravery, while saving, or attempting to save, the lives of others, with serious risk to themselves.”
The county’s Fire Department Commendations Board considers nominations for awards based on specific criteria, including intelligent decision making, skill, bravery and risk.
Capt. Bud Reinecke, who leads the committee, said the Bronze Star is typically given once or twice a year.
“You really have to do extraordinary actions and have extraordinary intelligence and bravery for the committee to give that high an award, and that’s what both of these guys demonstrated,” he said.
“It’s what the taxpayers pay me to do,” he said. “It was very humbling to know my captain and members of the fire department would recognize me for this award.”
Nominated by his captain, this was the first time Schreiber received the Bronze Star, which is the highest honor he has received in his career.
The incident was a reminder for Schreiber to appreciate the quality of life that he has, he said.
Also receiving the award was Michael Morris Jr., an emergency medical technician based in Woodlawn who lives in Catonsville, who saved a toddler from severe injuries or death after pulling over to help a woman and two children after a motor vehicle collision on his way home from work.
As he was moving the toddler to his car for safety, a car struck the others, and a bystander as it tried to avoid the disabled vehicle. He then provided aid to the three unconscious people until emergency crews arrived.
Morris, 35, who has been with the fire department for about three years, said the incident has made him want to spend more time with his family, he said. He has three children — a 13-year-old, an 11-year-old and a 2-month-old.
He was shocked to receive the award, he said.
“It means that if you do your job, sooner or later it pays off. It doesn’t define who you are,” he said about the award. “I’m very appreciative of it.”
The victims are doing well, Morris said. The county could not provide additional details.
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