10 Firefighters Honored for Valor During 2 Rescues

Ten Medal of Valor awards have been presented to firefighters at Fire Station 27 in Hollywood for two rescues they performed last year.

The awards, announced Thursday, are given annually by the California State Firefighters Assn. A committee of firefighters considered nominees from throughout the state.

The medals recognize four firefighters who saved stranded motorists during a flash flood and six firefighters who helped rescue a wounded police officer.

Capt. Steve Ruda, who heads Fire Station 27, gave this account:

The first rescue occurred on the night of March 10, when a storm caused flooding that trapped people in their cars on the street and in an underground parking lot at Rossmore and Rosewood avenues.

Capt. Craig Fry and firefighter Bob Rosario braved chest-high water in the street to rescue the motorists.

Two other firefighters, Tom Kitahata, and Greg Greywal, found apartment house residents attempting to salvage belongings from cars that were rapidly disappearing beneath the rising water in a subterranean garage. Kitahata and Greywal braved possible electrocution from a transformer in the garage to lead the residents to safety.

The second incident involved two Los Angeles police officers who were fired upon by gang members in the 1200 block of Gordon Street on the night of June 17.

The officers returned the gunfire, leaving one attacker dead. But in the exchange of gunfire, one of the officers was wounded and left lying face-down in the street.

Braving continuing gunfire, a police officer who was not wounded grabbed the fallen officer and attempted to drag him to safety. Several firefighters followed, moving the wounded officer behind a wall so he could be treated. Other firefighters maneuvered their rescue trucks to create a blockade. The wounded officer recovered.