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Thirteen firefighters and citizens were recognized Monday night at the 2008 Fort Wayne Fire Department Service Awards, held at the Public Safety Academy of Northeast Indiana.
Nine firefighters were given awards for their aid at an April 2008 house fire that killed a young mother and her two children.
The three died shortly after firefighters removed them from the burning home on Bowser Avenue. A family friend was injured in the fire but survived.
Capt. Jeffery Berning and firefighters Heath Bearman and Michelle Nelson were all honored with Meritorious Service Awards.
Capt. Matthew Peckham, Lt. Rich Dolsen Jr. and firefighters Tyler Bruce, Andrew Nieberding, Jon Plant and John Sierra were given Individual Commendation Awards for their service at that same blaze.
Fort Wayne Police officer Keith Wallace was also awarded a Citizen Action Meritorious Valor Award for performing CPR on a patient and assisting paramedics at that fire.
Three citizens were also honored for stepping up to help.
Ben Franke was given a Citizen Action Meritorious Award for helping his neighbors, Dean and Eleanor Shideler, escape a fire in March 2008 at their Rolston Avenue home.
The Shidelers attended the ceremony to personally thank Franke.
When Franke learned of the blaze, the first thing that went though his head was “just get over there and help them,” he said after receiving the award.
“It’s great,” Franke said. “It feels good.”
Both Dr. Charles Coats and Monique Myles were also given Citizen Action Meritorious Awards for performing CPR.
Coats also used an automated external defibrillator to save a person’s life in the Fort Wayne International Airport terminal in March 2008.
Myles performed CPR on a child who was pulled unconscious from a swimming pool in April 2008 – saving the child’s life.
“Without these citizens’ help, we can’t get the job done,” Fire Chief Pete Kelly said.
