Title
Special Presentation of Life Saving Medals to honor 20 members of DPVFD Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
Body
Summary:
On the afternoon of April 26, 2024, 20 members of The Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department responded to a 1st alarm residential structure fire that on arrival showed active signs of ignition (smoke and flames visible). Amid reasonings not needing to be elaborated on, one person had intentionally barricaded a bedroom door with various pieces of heavy furniture and debris to inhibit access while also setting the surroundings a-blaze. Fire spread quickly throughout the front end of the mobile home creating near zero visibility. Although firefighters continuously train for search and rescue of victims in unintentional fires, rarely is the scenario encountered where someone actively takes actions to eliminate rescue efforts while creating the intentional fires around them compounding the challenges that the firefighters had to overcome on this day.
Significant efforts deployed on that day included forcible entry, reading fire and smoke, applying correct extinguishment principles, and deployment of certain tactics that had only been performed on the training environment like converting a window into a door so that the victim, who was no longer breathing, could be extricated. Where efforts of CPR were immediately performed by firefighters the patient was then transferred over to awaiting EMS where they performed aggressive life saving measures. Because of relentless efforts to risk self so that others may live, because of efforts by our EMS folks to apply interventions under duress, we present each of them a lifesaving medal.
To receive the lifesaving medal, a firefighter or medic must be a member of the department, and more specifically team, who was principally involved in saving the life of another person and whose personal actions were responsible for the lifesaving act. The department therefore recognizes the team allowed this victim to leave the scene towards the hospital with a pulse, and with the ability to communicate, due to commendable actions of DPVFD members.
Lifesaving medals are being awarded to:
1) Firefighter Steven Keeney; 2) Firefighter Victor Rodriquez; 3) Captain Michael Castaneda; 4) Firefighter Jonathan Neal; 5) Deputy Chief Keith Vasquez; 6) Captain Kenneth D’Alessandro; 7) Deputy Chief Greg Bridges; 8) Firefighter Ricky Lores; 9) Deputy Chief Max Archer; 10) Firefighter Wendell Safford; 11) Firefighter Brandon McKissack; 12) Firefighter Brett Conaway; 13) Safety Officer Tommy Archer; 14) Paramedic EMS Captain Tanner Gurtner; 15) Paramedic Brandi Tallady; 16) Paramedic Travis Payne; 17) Paramedic Clyde Coxie III; 18) Paramedic EMS Lieutenant Joshua Hudson; 19) EMS Chief Andrew Smith; 20) Assistant Fire Chief and scene Incident Commander Phillip Arroyo.
Fiscal/Budgetary Impact:
N/A.
Recommended action
Recognize and applaud the DPVFD lifesaving medal recipients.