| Name: | Michael Gale |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Lockport Township Fire Protection District |
| Type of Firefighter: | |
| Rank: | Firefighter |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighting operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Valor |
| Year of Award: | 2005 |
| Incident City: | Crest Hill |
| Year of Incident: | 2004 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Lieutenant Joseph Casagrande of the Lockport Township Fire District was awarded the Medal of Honor and Firefigher Michael Gale was awarded the Medal of Valor for their actions in the aftermath of a house explosion in Crest Hill, Illinois on May 27, 2004.
Lieutenant Casagrande and Firefighter Gale were in their respective residences enjoying a day off when a house exploded on the 1800 block of Nicholson St. Since both lived nearby, the off-duty firefighters responded, arriving on the scene to find debris scattered all about the neighborhood. Lt. Casagrande, without any of his protective gear, entered the devastated structure and, after digging through rubble, found a conscious 94-year-old female. Casagrande worked to extricate her from the debris.
Meanwhile, Gale kept in contact with Casagrande, getting updated on her status as they waited for the Lockport Township Fire District to arrive. He also coordinated with bystanders to help with the rescue effort. This included borrowing tools to turn off the natural gas which fueled the explosion. During the process, he made contact with another victim, a male, who was also lodged beneath the rubble. Casagrande and Gale kept the situation under control until the fire units arrived, assisting and providing reassurance to the victims of the explosion.
Citations:
“Gov. Blagojevich honors fallen firefighter, recognizes 23 other firefighters for extraordinary acts of bravery,” Illinois Government News Network, May 12, 2005.
“Lt. Joe Casagrande and FF Mike Gale,” Lockport Township Fire Protection District, n.d.
“Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal,” The Gong, July-September, 2005.