2013 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.

On January 1, 2011, in the early morning hours, multiple units responded to the scene of a 2-Alarm fire in a multi-unit apartment building located at 920 Montgomery Street. While being met with heavy smoke and 20 foot flames, the crew of Truck 2 successfully ventilated the roof. In the course of conducting roof operations, the Officer of Truck 2, Capt. Michael Rolovich, observed two elderly people trapped in a third floor apartment, frantically waving their arms in distress as black smoke billowed out of their window. Under the coordinated direction of Capt. Rolovich and, with the help of the crews of Truck 1 and Truck 13, FFs William Mulkeen and Daniel Molloy, skillfully bridged a 24 foot ladder from the parapet of the fire building to the rooftop across the alley. With the ladder bridged at a 40 degree angle across the alley and, 30 feet above ground, both FFs climbed to adjacent rooftop. Captain Rolovich then lowered his end of the ladder down and into the window of the elderly couple’s apartment. With FF Molloy securing one end of the Ladder, FF Mulkeen made his way back across the ladder and into the elderly couple’s apartment. Upon making contact with the occupants, they became combative and fearful to make the return climb across the ladder. Understanding the critical element of time and without hesitation, FF Mulkeen removed his breathing apparatus and Turnout coat. Wrapping them in his turnout coat, he carried each across the ladder, one at a time, to safety.
 

On March 12, 2011, units were dispatched to a report of a fire in a building at 1700 Page St. Having just cleared a call two blocks away, the crew of Truck 6 was on scene within one minute and declared a working fire. Observing two trapped residents on a fire escape, members of Truck 6 laddered the fire escape, and rescued them. The aerial ladder was placed to the roof and the crew of Truck 6 completed ventilation efforts. All of these actions were completed within three minutes of arriving on the scene. The quick and decisive actions of the crew of Truck 6 were instrumental in the survival of the trapped residents as well as minimizing the damage to the property.
 

On July 4, 2011, Engine 32 responded to a Street Box. Upon arrival Engine 32 reported a working fire as they observed fire and heavy smoke coming from the garage of a 3-story building located at 4020 Mission Street. The crew was met by several distressed civilians reporting to them that there was an elderly woman on the second floor. A coordinated effort was made by all members of the crew to execute a civilian rescue, bring water to the fire and forcibly open the garage, knowing that additional crews had not yet been dispatched.
 

On December 1, 2011, units responded to a 3-Alarm fire at 3360 24th Street. As crews arrived they observed heavy, black smoke and a woman hanging from a third story window. The crew of Truck 7, despite encountering an iron gate and a tree obstructing their ladder placement, was able to successfully get a ladder to the woman. Simultaneously, T/Lt. Robert Coleman and a partner from Rescue Squad 2 entered the building, without the protection of a hose line and advanced to the third floor. Upon entering a smoke-filled room with no visibility, T/Lt. Coleman heard a male voice utter, “I’m here”. T/Lt. Coleman swept the room until he found the man, retrieved him and transferred him to his partner to remove from the building. T/Lt. Coleman then found the female clinging to the window from the exterior of the building with her feet. T/Lt. Coleman secured the woman and removed his facemask, placing it on her face, enabling her to breathe, while T7 was placing their ladder to the window for her rescue. During this time, T/Lt. Coleman had no choice but to inhale a large volume of hot smoke. T/ISS Jesse Bautista ascended T7’s ladder and successfully extricated the woman who had suffered severe smoke inhalation. The crew of Engine 29, while advancing the first hose line, encountered a critically injured male, removed him from the building and continued to strategically place their hose line in an area that would provide protection for trapped civilians and their rescuers. If not for the skillful execution of the crews involved none of the occupants would have survived.
 

On April 24, 2012, while returning to quarters from a call, the crew of Engine 1 witnessed a large man, on the 800 block of Mission St., grab a woman who was significantly smaller than he and forcibly hold her against a wall. The crew of Engine 1 immediately stopped their vehicle and confronted both individuals in order to do a well-being check on the woman. The aggressor began to physically assault the crew. Acting on instinct and, putting themselves at risk, they physically subdued the man and held him until San Francisco Police Officers arrived and made an arrest.