2011 Meritorious Conduct Awards - Class D Unit Citation

A Class D Unit Citation is awarded to a company for performing beyond normal expectations in an emergency situation.

 
 

TRUCK 7
Capt. Ronald R. Lewin
FF Erik R. Zammarchi
FF Anthony DiRicco
FF Gavin D. Estupinian
FF Patrick C. Grimesey
 

On October 26, 2008, Truck 7 responded to a Working Fire at 18th St and South Van Ness. The first floor of the building was heavily involved with fire, rapidly extending to the second floor. Upon arrival, the crew of T7 identified an elderly female overcome by smoke in a second story window.  With outstanding skill and determination, T7 raised its aerial ladder, maneuvering it through overhead power lines and heavy smoke conditions into position to execute a successful rescue. 

[CASE 09-05]

 
 

TRUCK 15
T/Capt. James Hall, III
FF Chauncey J. Ferguson
FF Harry H.C. Yee
FF William B. Madsen
FF Roger O. Fong
 

On February 8, 2009, Engine 33 and Truck 15 responded to the scene of a Working Fire at 104 Broad Street. Upon arrival, the driver of E33, FF Russell A. Roby, observed several people hanging out of the first and third floor windows, calling for help. Without hesitation, FF Roby took the initiative to place a ladder to the first floor fire escape and, with the assistance of police officers on the scene, rescued one of the residents. The crew of T15 performed flawlessly, quickly placing a 24’ ladder to a window and executing the successful rescue of the three remaining panicked civilians.

On February 8, 2009, Engine 33 and Truck 15 responded to the scene of a Working Fire at 104 Broad Street. Upon arrival, the driver of E33, FF Russell A. Roby, observed several people hanging out of the first and third floor windows, calling for help. Without hesitation, FF Roby took the initiative to place a ladder to the first floor fire escape and, with the assistance of police officers on the scene, rescued one of the residents. The crew of T15 performed flawlessly, quickly placing a 24’ ladder to a window and executing the successful rescue of the three remaining panicked civilians.

[CASE 09-14]

 
 

RESCUE SQUAD 1
Lt. Darius O. Luttropp
FF Derek B. O’Leary
FF Eric J. Botelho
FF Michael C. Magalong

 
On the night of March 14, 2009, Rescue Squad 1 responded to the scene of a police negotiation with a potential jumper. Firefighters ascended an aerial ladder to the roof of a 4-story Victorian with a steeply peaked roof. At great risk to his own personal safety, FF Michael C. Magalong was harnessed and, using his negotiating skills, gained the trust of the agitated individual enabling him to secure a harness on him. Once again, becoming agitated the man began violently attacking FF Magalong, causing a near-fatal fall as they both rolled down the steeply peaked roof.  FF Magalong and the crew of RS1 showed extreme skill and professionalism while executing a very challenging and dangerous rescue.

[CASE 09-08]

 
 

RESCUE SQUAD 2
Capt. Ronald R. Lewin
FF John J. Caba
FF Victor G. Hurtado
FF David C. Saitz

ENGINE 17     
Lt. Patrick R. Martinez    
FF Johnathan P. Ashbrook    
FF Stephen F. Moran    
FF/PM Richard Wendland

TRUCK 17
Lt. Lawrence F. Conrad     
FF Joe M. Naldo
FF Ernest L. Johnson
FF Robert Tai
FF John F. McNulty
 

On the night of April 5, 2009, multiple crews responded to KYA Hill for a report of people trapped on a cliff. Under conditions of extreme darkness and steep terrain, and with the assistance of Rescue Squad 2, Truck 17 and Engine 17, FF Desmond J. Cotter climbed through thick underbrush to a ledge 40 ft. above the ground. Using rescue ropes and harnesses FF Cotter effectively rescued a family of 6, one by one, by securing each of them to himself and being lowered from the trees of the cliff to T17’s aerial ladder. The skill and determination of all crews involved were instrumental in providing a good outcome for this family.

[CASE 09-11]

 
 

BATTALION 4
BC David L. Franklin

ENGINE 38
Capt. Patrick K. Mullaney
FF/PM Christopher J. Heuerman
FF Dominic C. Shanley
FF Ryan M. Toby
 

On April 29, 2009, Battalion 4 and Engine 38 responded to a report of a vehicle fire. Upon arrival crews observed that the interior of a taxicab was filled with thick black smoke as a bystander reported that the driver was still inside the vehicle. As the flames extended to the interior of the locked taxi the crews of B4 and E38 quickly and skillfully forced entry to the vehicle, accessing the unresponsive driver and pulling to safety.

[CASE 09-13]

 
 

ENGINE 42
Lt. Berglioth M. Mathews
FF Michael Guajardo
FF/PM Timothy G. Howe
FF Terence M. O’Sullivan

TRUCK 17
Lt. Alexander P. Douglas Jr.
FF Ernest L. Johnson
FF John F. McNulty
FF James J. Schrick
FF Robert Tai

RESCUE SQUAD 2
A/Lt. Floyd K. Rollins II
FF John F. Dunn
FF Thomas A. McGuire
FF Michael A. Rustia
 

On June 20, 2009, while at the scene of a working fire at 2420 Bayshore Blvd., the members of Engine 42, upon entering the building, were informed of three civilians who were trapped inside. Upon locating the civilians at the bottom of a smoke-filled lightwell, FF Michael Guajardo advised command, calling for a ladder to be lowered to their location. The crew of T17, with the assistance of E42 and Rescue Squad 2, lowered a ladder, bringing two of the victims to safety.  FF Guajardo carried the third victim, an unconscious elderly woman, up the ladder.  The swift actions of all of the crews involved were critical in the survival of the three civilians.

[CASE 09-18]

 
 

BATTALION 9
BC Dennis J. Sutter
ISS Wing C. Chan

TRUCK 15
Capt. Michael R. Gonzales
FF Joel S. Soto
FF Raul Sandoval
FF Harry H.C. Yee
FF Robert A. Muhammad

RESCUE CAPTAIN 4
RC Daniel V. Casey

MEDIC 56
PM Ross O’Reilly
EMT Jared F. Cooper
 

On July 13, 2009, Medic 56, Rescue Captain 4, Battalion 9 and Truck 15, responded to a report of a person injured in Glen Park Canyon. The patient was located in a remote area of the canyon, unable to walk.  As nightfall was quickly approaching, RC4, M56 and T15, under the supervision of B9, carried the patient along narrow trails, through thick underbrush and poison oak and out of the canyon. The skill and coordination of the crews likely prevented this patient from experiencing life-threatening hypothermia.

[CASE 09-20]

 
 

ENGINE 7
Capt. Abdul Khadir
FF Mariano A. Elias Jr.
FF Douglas B. Manguiat
FF/PM Jason J. Reichard
 

On January 17, 2010, while responding to a Working Fire at 744 Guerrero, Engine 7 observed a trapped civilian who was standing on a window ledge to escape encroaching flames.  Two members of E7 quickly raised a ladder to the ledge and executed a skillfull rescue of the trapped civilian. The crew of E7 proceeded to make entry into the building, where they located and rescued a second civilian, who was lying unconscious on the floor. The swift actions of this crew resulted in the saving of two lives.

[CASE 10-02]

 
 

BATTALION 7
BC Richard J. Busalacchi

RESCUE CAPTAIN 2
RC James Strain

ENGINE 31
Lt. Wayne J. Wong
FF Michael R. Parker
FF Marcella D. McCormack
FF/PM Frederick Binkley

TRUCK 7 / LIGHT RESCUE 7
Lt. Anita D. Paratley
FF Victor G. Hurtado
FF Magaly Saade
FF Robert J. Vigil
FF Paul J. Saitz

TRUCK 14
Lt. George V. Lysenko
FF Bruno C. Walther
FF Keith G. Almirol
FF John H. Danner III
FF Chris J. Salas

TRUCK 5 / LIGHT RESCUE 5
Lt. Christopher M. Benz
FF David T. D’Amico
FF Eric K. Hipp
FF Philip J. Telesforo
FF Christopher M. Hazen
 

On the afternoon of July 13, 2010, Rescue Squad 1, along with multiple units, responded to the scene of a collapsed trench, entrapping a worker under soil and heavy concrete. Upon arriving on the scene, the crew of RS1 quickly called for shoring and cribbing equipment, medical support and hand shovels. Working tirelessly for four hours, the crew of Rescue Squad 1 continuously assessed and treated the victim and shoveled the loose soil that repeatedly backfilled the excavation site. Challenged by unstable ground and concrete pilings, companies stabilized the collapse area with shoring, ropes, webbing and chain.  Determined to successfully complete their mission, the responding crews set up a pulley system and, in a coordinated team effort, extricated the man from the trench. The expertise and skills of all companies resulted in the successful rescue of the worker who, as a result of his care, suffered only minor injuries.

[CASE 10-11]

 
 

ENGINE 3
Lt. Eric D. Leal
FF Joshua J. Wilson
FF/PM Brian S. Burns
FF Nathan M. Szutu

TRUCK 3
Lt. Sean A. Johnston
FF Ramon Barreto Jr.
FF Daniel A. Douglass
FF Gavin J. McGoldrick
FF James A. Bustamante
 

In the early morning hours of October 20, 2010, Engine 3 and Truck 3 were the first two units to arrive at the scene of a 4 Alarm fire at 824 Hyde St. Identifying 5 civilians who were trapped by fire and heavy smoke at windows and on ledges of the building, Lt. Sean A. Johnston directed his truck crew to deploy ladders for the purpose of executing civilian rescues. The building’s interior stairwell, had quickly burned and collapsed leaving no other means of escape. Lt. Johnston rescued two civilians from the 2nd story fire escape using a 22 ft. ladder and with the skillful placement of the aerial ladder, the others were rescued from various locations on the upper floors. The rapid and efficient actions of both companies under quickly deteriorating conditions saved the lives of five civilians.

[CASE 10-16]