By Eliza PARTIKA

Los Angeles County fire captain Ryan Kirwan received a Medal of Valor from Los Angeles County Fire (LACoFD) on April 25,  for his actions during a July 2023 structure fire at a La Crescenta restaurant, Byblos Mediterranean Bakery, on Foothill Boulevard. Kirwan rescued his partners, firefighters Nathaniel Denver and Brian Carreon, after a ceiling and a heavy refrigerator had collapsed on them.

The Medal of Valor is meant for those who have shown exemplary service and bravery while performing their duties as a firefighter, and is among the most prestigious awards for firefighting in Los Angeles County.

The ceremony opened with a bagpipe serenade and presentation of the colors by  LACoFD Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums, followed by short acknowledgements from Fire Captain Vince Roldan  and Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone. ABC7’s Marc Brown served as Master of Ceremonies.

Certificates of Valor and awards for Unit Citations, Emergency Medical Services and Exemplary Service were also given during the ceremony to firefighters and emergency service providers from across Los Angeles County.  This year, the Fire Chief’s Helmet Award was given to long-time journalist and correspondent covering L.A. County Fire, Steve Gregory.

“The actions of all of you, the willingness to go above and beyond, the fact that you put your heart and soul into the work, turns many bad days into a day of triumph,” Roldan said.

A pre-recorded video interviewing Kirwan, Denver, and Carreon recounted the harrowing rescue for an audience of family, friends, and fellow firefighters.

As the fire burned, a heavy plaster ceiling and an industrial refrigerator fell on Carreon and Denver, the increased load of which made escape nearly impossible. Kirwan was outside the building when he spotted Carreon with his head exposed. Firefighters worked to free Carreon as Kirwan went to find Denver. Kirwan saw the door was blocked by debris, he used a rubbish hook (a tool for breaching sheet rock) to break the window to the left of the door allowing Denver to free himself and crawl backwards towards the window. Other firefighting members of the team grabbed Denver’s legs and pulled him to safety.  After multiple attempts to free Carreon failed, Kirwan noticed a wooden beam was preventing the ceiling from moving. He quickly grabbed a chainsaw to dice the wooden members, creating a space for the ceiling to be lifted off Carreon, at which point he was also pulled to safety.

“It was a sigh of relief. Everyone was around me, and they dragged me off the street. Then I just sat there for a second and thought of my family, of my daughter who was three months at the time, and I thought of my wife,” Carreon remembered in the video.

Denver expressed thanks to Kirwan in the video, for rescuing him and Carreon. “I hope I can repay that someday,” he said.

Kirwan accepted the award from Fire Chief Marrone, to applause from the crowd.

After the event, Kirwan wrote the CVW, expressing his feelings about winning the medal.

“I appreciate being recognized for the work we do day in and day out. But I know myself and anyone else in this career doesn’t do it for awards or recognition. We do it because we genuinely care about the people we protect and about the work we do,” he stated.

There were other recognitions at the ceremony as well including:

Grand Incident – Swiftwater Rescue:  On August 20, 2023, Air Operations personnel quickly responded to a perilous swiftwater rescue, hoisting Fire Fighter Specialist Craig Ross into the raging waters of the San Antonio Wash, heroically rescuing a patient on the verge of passing out and being washed under a nearby tunnel.

Newport Beach Fire Department Structure Fire – Off Duty Rescue:  While off duty, Fire Fighter Timothy Ecker came across a mobile home fire in the City of Newport Beach on August 17, 2023.  Without hesitation, Fire Fighter Ecker courageously entered the home, risking his own safety, to rescue two elderly women from their burning home.

This article has been updated since publication.

  Eliza PARTIKA