The Centralia Fire Protection District presented Letters of Commendation to four of their firefighters Tuesday night for their part in the rescue of a Centralia City Firefighter during a June 24th fire in the 500 block of South Maple Street.
The district firemen were standing by in case they were needed when City Fire Captain Chad Gormann called “Man Down” when Centralia Firefighter Codie Melton fell through the kitchen floor down to his helmet and was only being supported by his air pack.
Gormann said without hesitation the four awardees, Lieutenant Billy Baird, Engineer Eric Smith, Firefighter Dakota Whritenour and Assistant Chief Dusty Garren, went into action, including two that went to the basement to help stabilize Melton from below.
“Wrap 2 straps around him and between the four of us we lifted him out. The District guys made it to the basement and was preparing to make it in to the basement to set up a ladder underneath him but there was 2-3 feet of garbage and debris inside the basement making it extremely difficult. Cody had 2000 PSI when he went to the floor, and by the time we got him out of the house which was several minutes later his bell was ringing which means he went down to about 500 PSI.”
The four received a Letter of Commendation from Centralia Fire Protection District Chief, Ross Boshera, for risking their own lives to save a fellow firefighter.
All Centralia Fire Protection District officers and firefighters were in attendance as were members of the Board of Trustees, as were the families of those involved during the award ceremony.
