| Name: | Jeffery Kraft |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Calumet Park Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | |
| Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighting operations, Hose operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Honor |
| Year of Award: | 2006 |
| Incident City: | Calumet Park |
| Year of Incident: | 2005 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Lieutenant Jeffery Kraft of the Calumet Park Fire Department received the Medal of Honor for his actions while fighting a residential fire in Calumet Park, Illinois on April 15, 2005.
Kraft was one of only three Calumet Park firefighters on duty on when the call came in for a fire at a three story apartment complex. Once at the scene, the firefighters encountered flames showing from a second story window and extending to the top of the building. Police officers at the scene reported that there were victims trapped on the third floor of the complex. With backup an estimated 10 minutes away, Kraft kicked in the entrance to the building and proceeded alone to the second floor to search for victims.
On the second story, Kraft encountered dense smoke coming from the open door of the apartment that was on fire. He heard someone calling for help at the top of the third floor stairs and found a 70-year-old woman suffering from smoke inhalation. Kraft took off the facemask from his self-contained breathing apparatus and placed it on the victim to give her breathable air. He then carried her down the stairs to safety. Kraft then reentered the building and continued his search for victims. He discovered a man trapped in a third floor apartment and assisted him out of the complex to safety. After saving the two victims, Kraft once again entered the apartment complex, this time with a hose line, and extinguished the fire in the second floor apartment by himself.
Citations:Firehouse Heroism & Community Service Awards,
, Firehouse, April, 2006.
Gov. Blagojevich honors fallen firefighters, recognizes 28 other firefighters for extraordinary acts of bravery,
Illinois Government News Network, May 11, 2006.
“Illinois firefighter honored,” Firechief.com, April 28, 2006.