Firehouse Heroism & Community Service Awards

Letter from the Editor

We are pleased to congratulate the latest honorees in our annual Firehouse® Magazine Heroism & Community Service Awards program. We take great pride in highlighting the accomplishments of these outstanding firefighters. We thank this year's judges: Chief Mark McLees of the Syracuse, NY, Fire Department; Chief Edward "Loy" Senter Jr. of Chesterfield County, VA, Fire and Emergency Medical Services; and Chief (ret.) Bruce Varner of the Santa Rosa, CA, Fire Department. We also thank Firehouse® Contributing Editor Paul Hashagen, retired FDNY Rescue 1 firefighter, who administers the program. Chief McLees discusses this year's program in the April "Firehouse® Magazine Insider" podcast.

To have your department’s acts of heroism or community service considered for an award, you must submit an application, which will be available in the coming week. I look forward to reviewing your applications. Thank you.

- Harvey Eisner, Editor-in-Chief, Firehouse Magazine

2011 Awardee Profiles

Heroism: Firefighter Paul Stoops, Franklin, Pa. Fire Company 4

Paul Stoops' training kicked into high gear upon hearing that dreaded word last March as he approached the scene aboard the ladder truck of Franklin Fire Company 4.
Heroism: FDNY Firefighter Christopher Pillarella, Ladder 83

Pillarella was responding first-due on a house fire on Dec. 4, 2011 where it was clear there would be little time to attempt to rescue a trapped occupant.
Heroism: FDNY Lt. Michael P. Lampasso, Ladder 124

FDNY Lt. Michael P. Lampasso of Ladder 124 was involved in the Feb. 28, 2011 rescue of two people at a dwelling where multiple people were trapped.
Heroism: Chicago Firefighter Larry McCormack, Squad 5

Firefighter Larry McCormack was on Squad 5 on Aug. 25, 2011 when he pulled Firefighter Gerald Carter from a fully involved attic of a 1 1/2 story home in the West Englewood neighborhood.
Heroism: Firefighter Andrew Kolesar, West Haverstraw, N.Y.

Kolesar saved Capt. Ken Patterson from a blaze in a building that had been illegally converted into apartments.
Heroism Award: FDNY Firefighter Brian J. Appleholm, Ladder 48

Appleholm has been recognized for his rescue of a paraplegic man during a March 9, 2011 fire at a six-story building.
Heroism: Coeur d’Alene Capt. Rich Halligan, Firefighter Blaine Porter

A water rescue in Idaho last year forced Coeur d'Alene Capt. Rich Halligan and Firefighter Blaine Porter to think outside the box in order to save the life of a 1-year-old girl trapped inside a submerged car.
Heroism Award: FDNY Firefighter Kevin J. Hogan II, Ladder 114

FDNY Firefighter Kevin J. Hogan II was named the top Heroism Award winner for 2011 for his rescues of numerous people - including several toddlers and a pregnant woman - at a March 30, 2011 incident.

View All of the 2011 Heroism & Community Service Award Recipients

Donations

DONATE TO THE FIREHOUSE HEROISM PROGRAM

If you'd like to make a donation to the 2010 Firehouse Heroism & Community Service program, featured in the April 2012 issue of Firehouse, please send to:

Firehouse Magazine Heroism Program
Attn: Jean Rank
3 Huntington Quad., Suite 301N
Melville, NY 11747

All proceeds benefit the award recipients. Any amount, varying from $1 to $1,000,would be welcome.

2012 Heroism Nominations

Nominate a department for heroics acts and extraordinary acts of community service that occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2012.

Nominate a hero for Firehouse Heroism Awards:

The application will be available soon.

This annual program is the largest of its kind in the United States. The descriptions of the acts of heroism and the extraordinary work of the fire service in helping the community are above and beyond the call of duty. We look forward to receiving your department's appications!

The deadline for the 2012 awards is January 2013.