This from Dave Weaver:
3/7/17 AURORA – Aurora Firefighter Award and Promotion Ceremony at the Aurora Central Fire Station – Video by Dave Weaver
(Sorry, not all commendation recipients are shown in this video. Please see the list below recognizing all unit citation and award recipients)
Excerpts from the Aurora Fire Department:
On March 7, a ceremony was held to recognize recent promotions, as well as people who had gone above and beyond to help others.
Those recently promoted are:
Battalion Chief Gregory Frieders (Badge #402)
Battalion Chief Mark Matovich (#462)
Captain Brandon Matson (#506)
Captain James Rhodes (#509)
Captain Randall Leek (#486)
Lieutenant John Ross (#520)
Lieutenant Christopher Prieboy (#520)
Lieutenant William Nutter (#454)
Lieutenant Abraham Sprinkle (#541)Unit citations are awarded to a company that demonstrates exceptional skills (proficiency) and dedication to duty while operating at an incident.
Receiving Unit Citations:
Lt. Kris Tappendorf, Lt. Ed Heitz, Firefighter Tim Begeron, Firefighter/Paramedic Greg Myers, FF/PM Steven Garry, FF/PM Peter Bray, FF/PM John Nagy, FF Christopher Prieboy, and FF Thom Shore for their actions on 2/8/16, for a woman with her hand stuck in an industrial roller, requiring an extended and difficult extrication.
Lt. Steven Oros, Lt. Christopher Kjellesvik, FF David Christianson, FF Daniel Darce, FF/PM Larry Nelson, FF/PM Robert Deubel, FF/PM Thron Ackmann, FF/PM Clint Thompson, FF/PM Johnathon Szlaga, and FF/PM Lucas Hanson for their actions at a dive rescue call on 6/19/16.
Battalion Chief Edward Oros, BC Dan Osman, Captain Steve Kish, FF/PM Daniel Bateman, FF/PM Steven Milakis, FF Aaron Stawikowski, FF Angelo Minneci, FF/PM Mark Bachleda, FF/PM Luke Ressler, and FF/PM Christopher Davison for their actions at a structure fire on 11/20/16, where an unconscious victim was pulled from the burning building.
The Medal of Courage is granted to a member for an act of heroism that clearly demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of danger while in the performance of his/her duties.
Receiving the Medal of Courage:
BC Dan Osman, Capt Ray Garner, FF/PM Jeffrey Kerley, FF/PM Matt Acuff, and FF Dan Murphy for their actions at a dive rescue call on 6/19/16. These personnel entered the water along with members of the Aurora Police Department to free two victims from a submerged automobile, putting themselves in peril. Both victims were out of the water within eight minutes of the 911 call.
Lt. Christopher Kjellesvik and FF/PM Doolin Galloway for their actions at a structure fire on 11/20/16. These personnel were in extreme danger when they decided to shut their hose line down to affect a rescue through a bedroom window of an unconscious victim to crews outside.
In addition to AFD personnel being recognized, the following citizens were presented with awards:
Terri Cassaday and Lauren Jennings, who were given the Life Savings Award, for their prompt recognition of a co-worker going into cardiac arrest. They immediately began CPR and called 911, which along with the care given by AFD & hospital personnel, led to that coworker surviving the incident.
Caden Medernach, and eight-year-old who called 911 and provided the operator with information needed when his dog and mom had both fallen into the frigid water in a pond behind their house.
Elizabeth Stewart, an Aurora 911 dispatcher, who answered Caden’s call, kept him calm, got the necessary information, and relayed that information to responding units to the water rescue. Because of Caden and Elizabeth’s actions, both the mother and dog survived that day.
