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The Saint
Barnabas Burn Foundation presented Ewing Township firefighters
from the Prospect Heights Fire Co. with the prestigious Valor
Award and honored more than 50 additional firefighters from
throughout the state of New Jersey during its 24th Annual Valor
Awards held on Thursday, October 27, 2011, at Mayfair Farms in
West Orange, N.J. Ewing Township Career Captain Michael
Anderson, Prospect Heights Fire Co. Captain William G. Erney III
and Prospect Heights Fire Co. Firefighter Robert Horlowski were
the recipients of the Saint Barnabas Burn Foundation Valor Award
for their rescue of a woman out of a second floor window of her
home during a working fire. (description
below)
Each year, the
Burn Foundation, established in 1987 to support The Burn Center
at Saint Barnabas, New Jersey’s only certified burn treatment
facility, recognizes firefighters, policemen, and additional
health care professionals from throughout New Jersey for their
heroic endeavors on and off the line of duty. Honorees are
nominated by respective departments and selected by a committee
of peers.
Account of Event:
The three Ewing
Township fire companies were dispatched on the morning of May
18, 2011 to a dwelling fire that started as a result of frayed
electrical wiring. Upon arrival of Engine 31, Captain
Michael Anderson made the call to request a full first alarm
assignment for the residence that now had a working fire on the
lower level of the home with heavy smoke conditions throughout,
and a report of trapped victims. On-scene firefighters
noted that the children were all safely outside with bystanders,
however, there was still one adult unaccounted for. An
attack line was stretched under Captain Anderson's command to
attempt entry through the front door but the firefighters were
forced back due to the heat and heavy black smoke floor to
ceiling, with zero visibility.
At this time a
police officer came from the rear of the building to report
seeing a woman hanging partially outside a second story window
and calling for help. Captains Anderson and William Erney,
together with Firefighter Robert Horlowski, immediately
proceeded to the rear of the building. Captain Erney and
Firefighter Horlowski raised and secured a ladder with help from
the police. As they did so, they called out to the
distraught grandmother, continually talking to her to keep her
calm. Captain Anderson quickly ascended and physically
removed the woman from the window ledge and out onto the ladder
rungs. Believing that her grandson was still trapped
inside, the panicked woman grabbed onto the ladder rungs and
would not move. The firefighters reassured her that her
grandson was safe and they were able to get her down the ladder
and turned over to the EMS squad on location. The
firefighters then returned to the front of the home to continue
fire operations. "This is what we train for" Captain
Anderson told a reporter on scene.
Congratulations
to three of Ewing's bravest!
See also:
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