| Name: | Patrick McDermott |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Chicago Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | Career |
| Rank: | Firefighter |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighting operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Honor |
| Year of Award: | 2001 |
| Incident City: | Chicago |
| Year of Incident: | 2000 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Chicago Fire Department firefighter Patrick McDermott of Truck Company 11 received the Medal of Honor for his actions to save three children from a burning building in Chicago, Illinois on January 7, 2000.
McDermott was off-duty and on his way with his wife and mother to pay their last respects to his grandmother when he saw smoke billowing out of a sixth story apartment unit in a Chicago Building Authority high-rise on 2036 S. State St. in Chicago. He left his mother and wife behind, stopping his car in the middle of the street. He alerted the residents of the building to call 9-1-1, and went up to the apartment. McDermott faced thick smoke and high temperatures without the safety equipment he dons when on the clock. After making his way up six flights of stairs, he entered the unit and knocked out the windows to provide better ventilation. He heard the faint cries of three children, all younger than five years old. He was able to pick them up and carry them to a safe location.
Citations:Firefighters Honored for Heroic Actions,
The Gong, July-September, 2001.
Lifesavers: firefighter, cop hailed by city,
Chicago Sun-Times, October 11, 2000.
Valor is 24/7 job for fire, police heroes,
Chicago Tribune, October 11, 2000.