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Proclamation commending and recognizing Plum Emergency Medical Services crew members Brian Turpin and Steve Simpkin; Unity Volunteer Fire Department, Fire Chief Brian Turpin, Captain Glenn Kopec, Jr. and Firefighter Nicholas Bernhardy; Renton Volunteer Firefighters Carrie Cole, Colin Campeau and Mike McCloskey, for their actions on February 20, 2016 which resulted in the rescue of two adults and five children from a burning home.
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WHEREAS, on the morning of February 20, 2016, Allegheny County 9-1-1 received a phone call from an 11-year-old girl reporting smoke in her home on Cherrywood Drive in Plum Borough; the first responders on scene were Plum Borough Police Sergeant Jay Kapusta and Officer Eric Callen; and
WHEREAS, upon entering the house, the officers encountered heavy smoke on the first floor, but were able to get the homeowner, a mother, and her one-year-old son to a place of safety in the front yard; and
WHEREAS, Sergeant Kapusta assisted Officer Callen onto the roof above the garage where he was able to reach two children and remove them from the home; they were passed from the roof to Fire Chief Raymond Brenner of the Logan’s Ferry Heights Volunteer Fire Department and Sergeant Kapusta; and
WHEREAS, knowing that there were still other people inside the home, Officer Callen climbed over the roof to gain access to the back of the house while Sergeant Kapusta assisted Plum Borough Police Officer Crystal Iachini onto the garage roof for her to assist in the search of the home; and
WHEREAS, the Unity Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene and Captain Glenn Kopec, Jr. entered the front door with heavy smoke conditions and reported the location of the fire; he made his way up the stairs and found two children in a moderate smoke condition; Brian E. Turpin, Fire Chief of the Unity Volunteer Fire Department, working for Plum Borough Emergency Medical Services, placed a ladder to the 2nd floor and used Officer Iachini’s police baton to vent the upper portion of the window; Captain Kopec passed the children to Chief Turpin, who passed them to Plum Borough Paramedic Steve Simpkin who assessed the children; they were then transported to UPMC Mercy; and
WHEREAS, Unity Volunteer Firefighter Nicholas Bernhardy deployed a 24’ ladder in order to rescue the mother of the homeowner; Firefighter Bernhardy, Sergeant Kapusta and Officer Callen were able to get the elderly female out of the window and onto the roof; Firefighter Bernhardy utilized his self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to provide clean breathing air for the elderly female while two additional 24’ ladders were deployed; Renton Volunteer Firefighters Colin Campeau, Carrie Cole and Mike McCloskey assisted in the rescue of the elderly female and once she reached ground level, she was handed off to an awaiting medic unit and transported to UPMC St. Margaret; and
WHEREAS, the Unity VFD Engine 233-1 pulled the initial line at the door; the Logan’s Ferry Heights VFD Engine 235-1 crew took the hoseline into the front door and knocked the fire down; the effort to extinguish the fire took an hour; two individuals with Plum EMS and two Plum police officers were taken to AHN Forbes Hospital for smoke inhalation; and
WHEREAS, the officers verified that all family members had been accounted for and had received medical treatment. In total, two adults and five children were rescued from the burning home; and
WHEREAS, all who responded to this call reflected their department’s motto of pride, professionalism and dedication; without thought to their personal safety, they immediately took action to intercede and ensure the safety of the residents of the home; their persistence, effort, cooperation, leadership, initiative and concern for others may have very well made all of the difference in the lives of these seven people;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Allegheny County Council does hereby commend and recognize Fire Chief Brian E. Turpin, Unity VFD; Plum Borough EMS; Paramedic Steve Simpkin, Plum Borough EMS; Captain Glenn Kopec, Jr., Unity VFD; Firefighter Nicholas Bernhardy, Unity VFD; Firefighter Colin Campeau, Renton VFD; Firefighter Carrie Cole, Renton VFD; Firefighter Mike McCloskey, Renton VFD; Sergeant Jay Kapusta, Plum Borough Police Department; Officer Eric Callen, Plum Borough Police Department; Officer Crystal Iachini, Plum Borough Police Department; Fire Chief Dave Bender, Renton VFD; Fire Chief Raymond Brenner, Logan’s Ferry Heights VFD, for their heroic actions on February 20, 2016 which resulted in the rescue of two adults and five children from a burning home. We are blessed and grateful to have public servants such as these who are committed to the safety and well-being of their community and thank them for their diligence and self-sacrifice on this day, and every day in our county.