Home»BALTIMORE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT»CEREMONIES»MEDALS DAY CEREMONIES»Memorial Service/Medals Day 2015 11-7-15

On November 7, 2015 the Baltimore City Fire Department held its 21st annual Medals Day and Memorial Service at the War Memorial Building in downtown Baltimore.
It started with the 36th annual Memorial Service which honors past and present Fire Department and Box 414 Association members who have passed away in the previous year. One member, Lt. James Bethea, died in the line of duty on November 12, 2014. Father Walter Burgess, the Department Chaplain, presided over the service which honored the memory of 48 Department members and 1 member from the Box 414 Association. A bell tolled as Chief Niles Ford read each name, and representatives from Local 964, Local 734, Retirees Association, and Box 414 Association took turns placing a red or white carnation on a large maltese cross wreath in front of the stage. It was a very somber ceremony and afterwards family members of the deceased came forward and took a flower from the wreath in memory of their loved ones.
After a short lunch break that was catered by Missions B-B-Q in the downstairs dining hall the Medals Day Ceremony started. Former Fire Commissioner Stuart Nathan was the Master of Ceremony.
This year’s ceremony would present 18 Distinguished Unit Citations, 8 Distinguished Civilian Awards, 8 Meritorious Conduct Awards, 18 Exemplary Performance Awards and 1 Distinguished Service Award. A new award was created this year. 73 members working on 14 different incidents were awarded a CPR Save Award.
In one of the more notable rescues of the year six members received the Meritorious Conduct Award. On the morning of June 26, 2015 a civilian ran into the quarters of Truck 10 reporting a building collapse up the street, at Lafayette and Carey Streets. Truck 10 notified Communications to dispatch a rescue assignment and promptly responded to the location. Upon their arrival at 1235 W. Lafayette Avenue they found that the front interior floors of the 3-story dwelling had collapsed into the basement and one of the two workers was trapped and buried under the debris. The rear half of the interior was still partially intact and hanging precariously overhead.
Without hesitation EVD Shawn Little and EVD Kyle Stephens forced open the front door and entered followed by Firefighter Brad Bonovich and Captain Ray Hudson. They began shouting to the buried worker to find his location and found him when he shouted back. They then began to remove debris by hand until they found him and managed to uncover his face while the rest of him was still buried underneath.
EMS Captain Ray Bartock arrived shortly thereafter and was able to supply the victim with a mask to receive oxygen.
When Rescue 1 arrived along with the other companies Lieutenant Tim Hamilton and Firefighter Eric Aldenhoff assessed the situation and began setting up for the long extrication process. All of the companies operated as a team. After about an hour of painstakingly cutting and removing wooden beams, studs and plaster by hand the victim was extricated and taken to the waiting medic unit. There he was evaluated by Paramedics before being transported to Shock Trauma where he recovered from his injuries.
This rescue operation was conducted in an extremely perilous location that placed members of Truck 10 and Rescue 1 in extreme danger for an extended period of time. For the performance of duty at great personal risk the members received the Meritorious Conduct Award. Captain Bartock received the Exemplary Performance Award for his efforts.
There were also 12 special awards given to 14 members. These are separate awards and medals established by individuals or organizations given to deserving members of the Fire Department for their actions or contributions to the department.
This is the day that is set aside to recognize individuals that go above and beyond the call of duty to perform their job. These are just a few of the courageous acts that are performed on a daily basis that are recognized. Everyday the firefighters and paramedics perform many more acts of selflessness and kindness that goes unnoticed, and that is the true nature of the members of the Baltimore City Fire Department.