Firefighters, Police Honored for Stellar Performance

A group of Newport Beach firefighters and police officers were honored Thursday for providing extraordinary services to the community.

Medal of Valor Award and Exemplary Service Awards

Bryce Anderson is the first firefighter to receive a Medal of Valor Award, the department's highest award, while police officers Ricardo Adame and John Yim received Exemplary Service Awards for their efforts during an apartment fire in Corona del Mar.

On that day responding firefighters found a man hanging out of a second story window, surrounded by flames. Anderson quickly climbed a ladder placed at the window and pulled the trapped man to the safety of Adame and Yim.

Award of Merit

Lifeguard Mike Campbell responded to a call by about a suicidal man who was  standing on a cliff outside the railing on Inspiration Point in Corona del Mar. Campbell stood on the edge of the cliff with the man for 25 minutes. Police officers arrived and pulled the man back from the edge of the cliff.

Lifesaving Awards

Lifeguard Tim Ecker

Two parents ran up to a lifeguard tower with an 18-month old choking baby. Ecker quickly called for backup and noticed the child was getting very little air. He placed the child over his arm and performed back blows until several peanuts came up.

Firefighter Thomas Herr

A mother ran over to Fire Station #4 on Balboa Island with her limp 2-year-old
daughter in her arms. Herr quickly determined that she was not getting any air because of an obstruction. Herr performed several back blows until the quarter was fully dislodged from the child's throat.

Lifeguard Charlie Hockenbury

Hockenbury was flagged down by bystanders while working at the
Lifeguard Tower at 15th Street and told about a young boy choking on the beach. The child was lying down and appeared to be conscious, but not breathing.  Hockenbury began administering abdominal thrusts until the child started coughing and gasping.

Unit Citations

Lifeguards Clay Rinker, Travis Hersh, Brandon Hodding for saving a drowning swimmer caught in a rip current.

Fire Captain Justin Kime, Engineer Matt McClary, Paramedic Steve Martin for observing and reporting suspicious activity near a fire, resulting in the arrest of an arsonist.

Fire Captain Rick Zaccaro, Engineer Erin Brown, Firefighter Aaron Reed, Paramedic Kevin Gonzalez, Paramedic Joe Laser for quickly assessing and providing life-saving treatment to a bicyclist with a head injury, resulting in the patient eventually making a full recovery.

Fire Captain Ty Lunde, Captain Brian McDonough, Engineer Alan Baker, Engineer Chad Spiker, Firefighter Justin Dean, Firefighter Jon Lauderdale, Firefighter Aaron Reed, Paramedic Geoff Cathey, Paramedic Dean Rush for providing life-saving treatment to the victim of a cardiac arrest.