NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
3 October 2003

MAYOR PRESENTS FIRE RESCUE AND SERVICE AWARDS DURING HARRISBURG FIRE SAFETY MONTH CEREMONIES

Harrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed today recognized the extraordinary efforts of city firefighters, rescue personnel and private citizens for their life-saving actions over the past year. The awards program kicks off the city’s observances of Fire Safety Month.

Reed said the awards program is part of a full schedule of events and activities sponsored and presented by the city through the Harrisburg Fire Bureau during the next several weeks, including fire drills in all city schools, daycare centers and many residential and business high-rise towers. The Mayor encouraged all city residents to join in the observance by reviewing home fire escape plans for their families, as well as replacing the batteries in their home smoke detectors on Saturday, October 25, the nationally-designated “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery Day”, which is also when clocks must be turned back one hour to convert to Daylight Savings Time.

The Mayor said the awards presented today cover a variety of public safety events where lives and property were saved through the quick and selfless actions of civilians and public service and safety employees.

Awards presented include:

The Mayor’s Award for Valor

To Marlene Peluso of Manville, N.J., for her expeditious actions in rendering professional emergency care to the victims of a motor vehicle accident scene on I-83 on November 26, 2002, when a car crashed near the 19th Street exit and fell on to railroad tracks. A trained, professional Emergency Medical Technician with the Manville Rescue Squad who was enroute to Gettysburg College, Peluso grabbed her medical bag and climbed down the steep embankment through heavy brush cover to reach the still entrapped victim. The speed of her response and the expert care she provided undoubtedly saved the victim’s life.

To Harrisburg City Department of Public Works employees Robert Smith and Clarence Roy, who while conducting leaf removal activities in the 1300 block of Berryhill Street, observed a three-alarm fire at 1329 Berryhill Street on December 4, 2002. The pair forced entry into the structure and evacuated a number of daycare children from inside the burning house. The pair then went door-to-door in the affected neighborhood warning other residents of the danger.

To private citizens Craig Patrick and Jason Bias, who also assisted in notifying neighbors of the three-alarm fire at 1329 Berryhill Street on December 4, 2002.

To Stephan Houseal, who pulled an unconscious fire victim from their burning apartment building at 1620 Penn Street on March 10, 2003.

To Jai House, who spotted a fire in an apartment building at 504 Cumberland Court on March 11, 2003. House quickly notified neighboring residents and helped control the fire’s spread before fire units arrived.

To Harrisburg Department of Public Works employee Alfred Anderson, who provided lifesaving assistance to the occupants of a motor vehicle that had plunged off the Market Street Bridge on April 19, 2003.

To Charles McKinney, who while patronizing the A-Plus Mini Market at 19th and Paxton Street on April 20, 2003, witnessed a vehicular fire that could have easily spread to the adjacent fuel pumps. At considerable risk to himself, McKinney grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and put out the fire before it could spread, thus averting a possible disaster.

To 12-year old Christopher Brown and 13-year old Hakeem McDonald, who on June 28th, 2003, noticed smoke coming from an apartment in Hall Manor. Acting quickly, the young men gained entry to the unoccupied unit through a window and removed a pan of burning food that had been left cooking on the stove. Their intelligent actions helped to avert a far more serious fire.

To 4-year old Daulton M. Bigler, who on July 3, 2003, observed his 2½-year old sister slip below the surface of the family swimming pool, where she had been floating on an inner tube. Displaying considerable presence of mind and action for one so young, Daulton dove into the pool, grabbed his submerged sister, and pulled her to the side of pool for quickly arriving adult aid.

To Charles Braddy and Walter Miller, for their heroic fire rescue efforts on September 19, 2003, in the 2400 block of Reel Street. The pair entered the smoke-engulfed building to search for a mother and two children that were believed to have been inside (the resident mother and children had already left the structure. Both men suffered smoke inhalation and one sustained lacerations when breaking through a window to gain access to the home.

To city Fire Bureau Lt. Douglas M. Bair and Firefighters Dennis H. Devoe, Emanuel A. Stoute, David T. Wachtman, for their exemplary fire rescue efforts at a raging house fire in the 1300 block of Vernon Street on February 2, 2003. The team successfully removed two adults and two children from the second and third floors of the burning structure. The four will also receive the Fire Bureau’s Award for Heroism.

To city Firefighter Andrew J. Henry, for his off-duty actions at a traffic accident scene on Interstate 81 on January 17, 2003. Henry provided immediate emergency medical care and safely removed two occupants from their burning vehicle. Henry will also receive the Award of Merit from the Fire Bureau.

Distinguished Unit Citations

To Members of city Fire Bureau ‘B’ Battalion, Community LifeTeam EMS and the Dauphin County Communications Center, for their outstanding teamwork and coordination in fighting the February 2, 2003 fire at 1353 Vernon Street.

Certificate of Appreciation

To city Fire Bureau Lt. Jeffery S. Snyder and Firefighter Nelson L. Powden, II, for their quick and intelligent actions in identifying and capturing an arson suspect that had set a general alarm fire at 701–703 S. Front Street to hide a burglary he had just committed. The pair detained the suspect at the Paxton Fire Station until the police they had summoned could arrive and take him into custody.

Rev. Dennis E. Snyder Customer Service Award

Named in honor of former Fire Bureau Chaplain Dennis Snyder, this year’s annual award recipients include city Firefighters Joseph M. Santoro, Scott E. Young, Andrew J. Henry and DeShawn P. Dennis, for their efforts above and beyond the call of duty in upgrading the Bureau’s information technology and communications systems and networks.

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