MEDIA CONTACT: MARK E. BRADY, CHIEF SPOKESPERSON, 240-508-7930
MEBRADY@CO.PG.MD.US @PGFDPIO
The Prince George's County Public Safety Valor Awards were held Wednesday, April 26, at Martins Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Maryland. This years event honored two members of the Department that suffered line of duty deaths with their wives accepting their Gold Medals of Valor. Several members were recognized for rescuing other firefighters out of harms way as others were recognized for rescuing crash victims. Other firefighters are being recognized for rescuing a occupant from her burning basement and others for rescuing a couple from the top floor of a burning apartment building. A Paramedic was also recognized as Paramedic of the Year from her compassion and service above and beyond the call of duty.
Fire Chief Ben Barksdale, County Executive Rushern Baker, Public Safety Director Mark Magaw and other officials were on hand to help recognize everyone reaching awards.
Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department
GOLD MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
FIRE FIGHTER/MEDIC LIEUTENANT JOHN E. ULMSCHNEIDER
2016 FIRE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
(POSTHUMOUSLY)
U
VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER KEVIN J. SWAIN, JR.
SILVER MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
VOLUNTEER CAPTAIN DAVID RILEY
VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER SHAQUITA LIVINGSTON
BRONZE MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
FIRE FIGHTER AARON VAN SCHOONHOVEN
VOLUNTEER LIEUTENANT MICHAEL O’BRIEN
VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER MATTHEW K. WARD
AND
VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER BRANDEN FITCH
On the evening of April 15, 2016, Fire/EMS units from the Morningside
Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. and the Forestville Volunteer Fire Department responded
to a 911 call requesting a check on the welfare of a family member not
responding to phone calls and knocks on the door. Arriving firefighters and medics announced
themselves and also knocked on the windows and doors of the house on Sharon
Road in Temple Hills. Receiving no
response and at the urging of a family member, the crew made a decision to
force entry through the front door. In
that moment the occupant of the home opened fire, striking two personnel and the
family member.
Fire Fighter/Medic Lieutenant John “Skillet” Ulmschneider
retreated from the home and to his unit, Paramedic Ambulance 823, where his
partner, Fire Fighter Van Schoonhoven, quickly assessed him as having a gunshot wound to the chest.
Volunteer Lieutenant O’Brien and
Volunteer Fire Fighter Fitch sought cover behind the unit and radioed for
additional assistance, while assisting with treating Lieutenant Ulmschneider. A quick decision was made to load the critically
wounded firefighter into the ambulance and transport to the closest
hospital.
Volunteer Fire Fighter Kevin Swain,
who suffered three gunshot wounds, was lying at the bottom stairs of the front
porch and still in the line of fire. Realizing
that Swain was unable to retreat under his own power, Volunteer Captain Riley
and Volunteer Fire Fighter Livingston pulled him to safety behind their rig,
both sustaining injuries in the process.
The pair was met by Volunteer Fire Fighter Ward, who assisted with
placing the critically injured firefighter in the rear of the heavy-duty rescue
squad and providing medical care. The
crew immediately vacated the area and secured EMS in a safe location. Despite his now injured knee, Captain Riley
drove the rig to a field where EMS resources and Trooper 2 were waiting. Fire Fighter Swain was flown to Shock Trauma
in Baltimore and spent several weeks recovering from his injuries.
Due to the life-threatening injuries he suffered
on this incident, Volunteer
Fire Fighter Kevin J. Swain, Jr. is awarded a Gold Medal of Valor.
For great personal risk, judgment,
and zeal, Volunteer Captain David Riley and Volunteer Fire Fighter Shaquita
Livingston are awarded a Silver Medal of Valor.
For unusual personal risk and judgment,
Fire Fighter Aaron Van Schoonhoven, Volunteer Fire Fighter Branden Fitch, Volunteer
Fire Fighter Michael O’Brien, and Volunteer Fire Fighter Matthew K. Ward are
awarded a Bronze Medal
of Valor.
Despite the very best efforts of everyone involved in
treating Lieutenant Ulmschneider, tragically, he succumbed to his
injuries at the hospital.
Fire Fighter/Medic Lieutenant John E. “Skillet” Ulmschneider
is awarded the Gold Medal of Valor for making the supreme sacrifice while in
the Line of Duty. Furthermore,
Lieutenant Ulmschneider is designated the 2016 Prince George’s County Fire
Fighter of the Year.
Accepting Lieutenant Ulmschneider’s medal is his wife Dawn.
GOLD MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
(POSTHUMOUSLY)
In 2012, the Maryland General
Assembly passed the Fire Fighter Cancer Presumption Bill. This added several types of cancers to the
list presumed to be job-related, contracted in the course of duty as a firefighter
or paramedic.
In December 2014, Captain Hill fell ill and was diagnosed
with an aggressive form of occupational brain cancer. His valiant 18-month fight against this disease
was a testament to his fortitude and tenacity.
Throughout his battle, he served as a role model to his fellow
firefighters and paramedic and encouraged them to take precautionary measures
against developing this insidious disease.
Captain Hill served our Department and the residents of Prince George’s
County for over 14 years. He passed away
on July 21, 2016.
For his courage in battling the job-related cancer that
resulted in him making the ultimate sacrifice, Fire Fighter/Medic Captain
Christopher E. Hill is awarded a Gold Medal of Valor
Accepting Captain Hill’s medal is his wife, Jennifer.
PARAMEDIC OF THE YEAR
Presented to
Lieutenant Graham’s competency in providing exceptional
advanced life support makes her invaluable, whether
fulfilling her duties as an officer, crew member, or a mentor to other EMS
personnel. The 21-year veteran of the
Fire/EMS Department is a highly motivated individual who believes the residents
of Prince George’s County deserve the highest possible caliber of service. In an effort to do her part, she remains
unwavering in honing her diverse skills through education and training, as well
as providing mentorship and training to other EMS personnel. Giving back and helping others is a
normal part of life for Lieutenant Graham, much like breathing. Her passion for serving the residents of
Prince George’s County is shown in numerous ways and is infectious among her
professional peers and others who come in contact with her. The following demonstrates just one of the
many instances of Lieutenant Graham’s passion for her profession and compassion
for those she serves.
In November 2016, Lieutenant Graham was
beginning her EMS shift like usual, when a disturbing call came into the
station regarding children in danger. She
and her crew arrived on the scene of the incident and encountered two young
stabbing victims, 2-year-old Jordan and 3-year-old Jhalil. Following several surgeries, the boys were
released from the hospital and expected to recover fully. Although the actions of Lieutenant Graham and
her crew helped save Jordan and Jhalil’s lives, she had an overwhelming desire
to do more. This desire motivated her to
go above and beyond to help the boys and their mother.
Lieutenant Graham launched a fundraiser for the boy’s mother,
in which she raised $4,000 to assist her with staying afloat after relocating
to a safe place. In addition, Jordon and
Jhalil spent Christmas morning with Santa at Lieutenant Graham’s home, where
they were showered with donated toys and clothes from the Prince George’s
County Fire/EMS and Police Departments and the first responders who were on the
scene that ill-fated night in November.
For this reason, Acting Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale is
pleased to name Paramedic Lieutenant Pamela J. Graham as the Prince George’s
County Fire/EMS Department’s 2017 Paramedic of the Year.
GOLD MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF DARREN O. WARE
BRONZE MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
RETIRED LIEUTENANT COLONEL TYRONE N. WELLS
Wednesday, April 20, 2016, was challenging from the onset for
Assistant Fire Chief Ware—first and foremost because the Fire/EMS Department
was conducting funeral services for one of our members killed in the line of
duty. Secondly, he was tasked with
coordinating mutual aid resources and ensuring that personnel who do not work
in our system or typically work together would be able to do so safely and
efficiently. Then, upon concluding his
shift and heading home, he noticed smoke on the road ahead of him and suspected
it was likely a vehicle fire.
As Chief Ware neared the incident, his suspicion of a vehicle
fire was confirmed. However, he was
surprised to discover an adult female driver still inside. After contacting Public Safety Communications
for resources, he attempted to remove the victim from the vehicle. His attempt was unsuccessful, as all four
doors were locked; and the woman was unresponsive to his instruction to unlock
her door. With the fire beneath the
vehicle growing larger and progressing into the free burning phase, Chief Ware
realized the increasing urgency of the situation. Hurriedly, he returned to his vehicle, surveying
the surrounding area in hopes of finding something that could be used to gain
entry into the vehicle. Chief Ware knew
everything was happening very fast, but it seemed like an eternity in the face
of the life-threatening situation confronting the victim.
Retired Fire/EMS Department Lieutenant Colonel Wells, also
returning from the funeral and traveling the same route, spied the incident and
stopped to provide assistance. An
unidentified bystander retrieved a construction tool from his vehicle, to
assist with a second attempt to access the vehicle. Forcible entry was in progress when the
victim inadvertently stepped on the gas pedal, driving the vehicle down the slope
off the shoulder of the road. The fire
was now at a difficult angle with extension into the engine compartment, posing
greater peril to an already challenging situation. It was imperative to affect this rescue
immediately and prevent what would surely be a tragic outcome. With the bystander’s help, Chief Ware and Lieutenant
Colonel Wells managed to get down the slope and access the passenger side of
the vehicle. The new position of the
vehicle had rendered the driver’s side inaccessible.
SILVER MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
FIRE FIGHTER MIGUEL OCASIO
FIRE FIGHTER THOMAS RHODES
On the evening of January 13, 2016, units from Chillum
Adelphi Fire/EMS Station 834 were dispatched to 9205 New Hampshire Avenue for a
reported fire in a multi-family dwelling.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to find fire showing from a
fully-involved apartment on the top floor of a 4-story in front and 6-story in
the rear mid-rise apartment building with a wood roof. On arrival, Fire Fighters Ocasio and Rhodes
observed two occupants trapped on the balcony adjacent to the fire apartment,
with flames extending into their dwelling.
Fire Fighter Rhodes positioned Truck 834 in the grass and set up the
aerial ladder, while Fire Fighter Ocasio donned his personal protective
equipment. Realizing the trapped
occupants were in grave danger, without the aid of protective gear or regard
for his wellbeing, Fire Fighter Rhodes ascended the ladder to effect the rescue
of the trapped victims.
Reaching the top of the aerial, Fire Fighter Rhodes assisted
both victims onto the ladder. The female’s
medical conditions challenged her mobility, prompting Fire Fighter Rhodes to
move her down the ladder rung by rung and lifting her each time. He directed Fire Fighter Ocasio to bring up a
Stokes Basket, and the pair carefully assisted the woman with getting into the
basket and down the ladder. Fire Fighter
Ocasio helped her from the basket and off the turntable of the ladder truck. He then carried the basket back to Fire
Fighter Rhodes, who ascended the ladder a second time to bring the male to
safety.
For great
personal risk, judgment, and ingenuity, Fire Fighter Miguel Ocasio and Fire
Fighter Thomas Rhodes are awarded a Silver Medal of Valor.
SILVER MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
FIRE FIGHTER THOMAS RHODES
On the morning of Thursday, June 30, 2016, Fire Fighter
Rhodes and his family were traveling on I-81 North in Virginia when they came
across an accident that had just occurred.
Observing an overturned tractor trailer in the median with smoke coming
from its engine, he immediately pulled over, exited his vehicle, and ran toward
the incident. Fire Fighter Rhodes reached
the truck and encountered two people attempting to break the front windshield,
in an effort to rescue the trapped driver.
At his suggestion, the three of them broke out the rear window and
removed the victim from the truck. Less
than a minute later the truck burst into flames. Fire Fighter Rhodes then proceeded to the
other side of the tractor trailer, where he discovered three additional cars
and an SUV were also involved in the accident.
He quickly climbed into the SUV to assist a young female driver who was
trapped and realized the victim was hanging upside down with her seatbelt on. Her hair was trapped beneath the vehicle, and
she was experiencing difficulty breathing.
Fire Fighter Rhodes, lying on his back, pushed up on her shoulders to
relieve some of the pressure and enable her to breathe better. He remained in the SUV and helped support her
up for approximately 45 minutes to an hour while she was being extricated. All of the injured persons were transported
to the hospital. Fortunately, there were
no fatalities. For great personal risk, judgment, zeal,
and ingenuity, Fire Fighter Thomas Rhodes is awarded a Silver Medal of Valor.
BRONZE MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT CHIEF WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, JR.
BATTALION CHIEF DONALD V. FLETCHER, JR.
FIRE FIGHTER/MEDIC LIEUTENANT CHRISTOPHER B. BLACKISTONE
FIRE FIGHTER WILLIAM L. PHILPOTT, JR.
On January 5, 2016, fire and EMS
units responded to a reported house fire at 9400 Old Marlboro Pike. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find
smoke coming from the home and bystanders advising that someone might still be
inside. Crews quickly initiated an aggressive
interior attack to support searches for a possibly trapped occupant, but none
was found. By this time the fire located
on the first floor had extended into the attic space, tasking the crew with
opening the roof in support of the interior operations.
During the roof operation a firefighter fell through a
weakened portion of the rooftop, and crew members immediately deployed to
assist. He had fallen through up to his
shoulders and was exposed to high heat and smoke. Ritchie Volunteer Assistant Chief Cunningham reached
out and grabbed hold of his comrade’s self-contained breathing apparatus
harness, preventing him from falling deeper into the attic. Battalion Chief Fletcher, Lieutenant
Blackistone, and Fire Fighter Philpott ascended ground ladders and reached the
firefighter very quickly. Together the
four firefighters lifted their entrapped crew member up and out of the
attic. The stunned firefighter was then
assisted from the roof to the ground and placed in the care of EMS personnel,
who evaluated him on the scene. Due to
the wearing of full personal protective equipment and swift support from his crew
members, the firefighter did not sustain any injuries and was consequently released
to full duty.
For unusual
personal risk and judgment, Volunteer Assistant Chief William Cunningham, Jr.,
Battalion Chief Donald V. Fletcher, Jr., Fire Fighter/Medic Lieutenant
Christopher B. Blackistone, and Fire Fighter William Philpott L. Jr., are
awarded a Bronze Medal of Valor.
SILVER MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
FIRE FIGHTER/MEDIC CAPTAIN ROBERT G. BILKO
FIRE FIGHTER MATTHEW J. TIPPETT
BRONZE MEDAL OF VALOR
Presented to
FIRE FIGHTER SAMUEL H. SINGLETON
BRONZE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN EMS
Presented to
FIRE FIGHTER/MEDIC LIEUTENANT MICHAEL A. DOWLING
FIRE FIGHTER PHILLIP A. CROOKS
FIRE FIGHTER JOHN P. JENKINS
FIRE FIGHTER/MEDIC ANDREW C. ROHRBAUGH
On the morning of Sunday, January 17,
2016, units from Silver Hill Fire/EMS Station 829 responded to 3105 Bellbrook
Court in Temple Hills for a house fire, reportedly with people inside. Firefighters arrived on the scene and
encountered a basement fire with an occupant trapped. An attack line was immediately advanced
through the basement entrance at the rear of the home. Despite high heat and zero visibility upon
entering the residence, Captain Bilko quickly located the victim. Fire Fighter Tippett held the attack line in
place, while Fire Fighter DeForest and Fire Fighter Singleton removed the
victim from the burning home. Once
outside, Fire Fighters DeForest and Singleton assisted Fire Fighters Crooks and
Jenkins with administering initial treatment.
Consequently, the patient was transferred to Captain Buffum, Lieutenant
Dowling, and Fire Fighter/Medic Rohrbaugh.
The administration of aggressive EMS care allowed for quick transport to
Medstar; and, thankfully, the patient was expected to recover fully.
For great personal risk, judgment,
and ingenuity, Fire Fighter/Medic Captain Robert G. Bilko and Fire Fighter
Matthew J. Tippett are awarded a Silver Medal of Valor.
For unusual personal risk
and judgment, Fire Fighter Christopher M. DeForest and Fire Fighter Samuel H.
Singleton are awarded a Bronze Medal of Valor.
For unusual EMS skills,
knowledge, and abilities, Fire Fighter/Medic Captain Stephanie A. Buffum, Fire
Fighter/Medic Lieutenant Michael A. Dowling, Fire Fighter/Medic Andrew C. Rohrbaugh,
Fire Fighter Phillip A. Crooks, and Fire Fighter John P. Jenkins are awarded a
Bronze Medal for Excellence in EMS.
Comments
Post a Comment