CSFA To Award Medals of Valor

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The California State Firefighters' Association (CSFA) will present the Medal of Valor to firefighters, law enforcement officers and civilians from across California who have exhibited great courage in order to save the life of another. Awards will be presented at a dinner banquet Friday, October 15, 2010 at the Capital Plaza Holiday Inn in Sacramento, California.

Assembly Member Kevin Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore), a former firefighter, will be the Master of Ceremonies with California State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover, Secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) Matthew Bettenhausen and police and fire chiefs attending.

The Medal of Valor was established in 1968 by an endowment from Harry Strasser, a San Diego firefighter and founder of CSFA. Award winners are nominated by the first responder community and the general public.

2010 CSFA Medal of Valor Award Recipients

(Ordered by geographic location of incident)

CENTRAL VALLEY:
David Braga, civilian
Merced
Rescued a 2-year-old from a burning building

Officer Matthew Suehowicz
Sacramento Police Department
Officer Richard Kawasaki
Sacramento Police Department
Rescued trapped accident victim out of burning vehicle

David Ruhkala, civilian
Rocklin
Rescued a mauling victim from a pit bull

INLAND EMPIRE:
Officer Dawson Smith
Officer Brett Stenneth
Riverside Police Department
Entered a burning house to rescue a barricaded suspect overcome by smoke

Sergeant Robert Casas
Sergeant James Porter
Deputy Shaunna Ables
Deputy Adam Grimwold
Deputy Scott Andrews
San Bernardino Sheriff's Department
Dale Sandoval
San Bernardino Fire Department (Off Duty Fire Mechanic)
First Sergeant Billy Davidson
United States Marine Corps ##Rescued 2 trapped accident victims out of burning vehicles

LOS ANGELES/VENTURA COUNTY AREA:
Firefighter Guillermo Garay
Engineer Graham Dunbar
Oxnard Fire Department
Rescued trapped accident victim seconds before Metrolink train hit the vehicle

Captain Tedmund Hall (posthumous)
Los Angeles County Fire Department
Oakhills
Arnaldo Quinones (posthumous)
Firefighter/Specialist
Los Angeles County Fire Department
Palmdale
Died in the Line of Duty protecting fire camp personnel from approaching fire storm

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA:
Tom Allman
Mendocino County Sheriff's Department
Ukiah
Rescued trapped accident victim out of burning vehicle

Dustin Hammons, civilian
Del Norte County
Pulled elderly woman from burning motor home

Officer Rodney Richards
California Highway Patrol, Mt Shasta office
Officer Jason Smith
California Highway Patrol, Mt Shasta office
Perry Nitz, civilian
Redding
Edward Workman, civilian
Wynndel, BC, Canada
Rescued trapped accident victim out of burning vehicle

ORANGE COUNTY:
Steven King
Firefighter Orange County Fire Authority
Rescued elderly woman from a house fire (while off duty)

SAN DIEGO AREA:
Officer Salvador Gutierrez
California Highway Patrol, Oceanside office
Rescued trapped accident victim out of burning vehicle

Officer Chad Sakamoto
Police Officer, National City Police Department
Rescued a driver from a burning vehicle

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:
Samuel Armerding
Police Officer, Oakland Police Department
Rescued unconscious accident victim out of a burning vehicle

For more information on the CSFA Medal of Valor visit  www.csfa.net/valor.


Author:Barbara Brooks - Fire Department Network News