Medina Fire Chief Receives State Award for Heroic Basement Rescue

FIRE RESCUE

Medina Fire Chief Larry Walters has been honored with the Ohio Fire Service Valor Award for his dramatic rescue of a woman trapped in a burning home last October in York Township.

On Oct. 23, the woman called 911 reporting she was trapped as fire engulfed her home. Multiple departments responded including Medina County Sheriff’s Office deputies and firefighters from Erhart, York, Medina and Chatham, along with an off-duty firefighter from another county. Watch video here.

First responders located the woman at a basement window on the east side of the house, but the small window opening prevented crews from pulling her to safety as most of the house was already involved in fire.

Walters made a quick decision to shed part of his gear and slide feet-first through the basement window to reach the trapped woman. He spent three to four minutes in the basement as smoke conditions worsened.

“The smoke conditions continued to get worse by the moment. But I mostly focused on helping her get up high enough to where the rescuers on the outside could get a hold of her,” Walters said after the rescue. “I considered what I was doing to be the right thing. It certainly was not a situation where I felt like writing her off for the benefit of my safety was the right thing to do.”

Using a multi-purpose pry bar as a stepping stool, Walters helped lift the woman high enough for outside crews to pull her safely from the house, which was later deemed a total loss.

AWARDS

This month, Walters received the Ohio Fire Service Valor Award for his actions during the rescue.

“The heroic part, not so much, but I think it is good recognition for the county. I think it demonstrates the collaborative approach that the first responders, the departments, police, fire and EMS and dispatchers have,” Walters said about receiving the award.