Medal Of Valor: Firefighters Risk Their Own Lives To Save Family From Burning Building

Firefighters rush into burning buildings with very little concern for their own well-being. Two firefighters were honored with Medals of Valor for their bravery.

Saving a Family

On April 24, 2017, Fire Captain Dustin Moore and Firefighter Paramedic Andrew Freisner from the Lenexa Fire Department in Kansas ran into a burning apartment to retrieve a family.

Officers had been sent to the area where the apartment building was burning. Smoke was coming from three sides of the building and the roof. The 35 mile per hour gusts were actively working against fire crews and growing the fire at an aggressive rate.

Moore and Freisner were evacuating the building and were alerted to a trapped family on the second floor. They put a ladder on the side of the building and made their way up to a balcony.

The pair removed the glass on a sliding door and entered the building. The apartment was full of smoke, incredibly warm and rising. There was barely any visibility.

Moore and Freisner located an unconscious adult plus two children in one of the bedrooms. They made their way back to the ladder and handed the family members to waiting firefighters.

Double Checking

The adult, though disoriented, was able to confirm that there was no one else inside. However, the two firefighters decided to double-check and located the family's dog and brought it to safety.

If the two firefighters had not gone into the apartment, the family would likely have died in a matter of minutes. Instead, they employed their training coupled with tremendous bravery to bring the family to safety, ultimately saving their lives.

President Trump gave them the Medal of Valor in a ceremony at the White House. The medal is given to those "who have exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect others from harm."

Lenexa Fire Chief Lonnyy Owens said, "It is an honor to have members of the Lenexa Fire Department be recognized for selflessly upholding their oath to serve and protect our community. During this incident, Fire Captain Dustin Moore and Firefighter Paramedic Andrew Freisner represented the City of Lenexa and its Fire Department with professionalism and bravery."

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6 comments on “Medal Of Valor: Firefighters Risk Their Own Lives To Save Family From Burning Building”

  1. Awesome. An old friend that's been a firefighter for over 20 years once told me that those are the kind of calls he always hopes not to see, but when they do it always reminds him why he wanted the job in the first place.

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