| Name: | Richard Gustafson |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Chicago Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | Career |
| Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighter rescue, Firefighting operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Valor |
| Year of Award: | 2006 |
| Incident City: | Chicago |
| Year of Incident: | 2005 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Lieutenant Richard Gustafson of the Chicago Fire Department’s Truck 8 was awarded the Medal of Valor for his efforts to rescue fellow firefighters from an apartment fire in Chicago, Illinois on May 31, 2005.
Engine 29 and Truck 8 arrived to a fire at a three-story apartment building that began on the back porch and subsequently spread throughout. Engine 29 attempted to enter the house on the third floor, with Lieutenant Gustafson trailing them. All of a sudden, fire overtook two firefighters, and they fell down to a landing on the second floor. They were knocked unconscious by the fall. Gustafson, neglecting his own safety, proceeded through a hot and smoky stairwell and found the firefighters ensnared in debris and their own equipment. Gustafson, handed off one of the injured firefighters to a member of Truck 8 while he dragged the second victim to safety. Despite the injuries to two of their own, Engine 29 and Truck 8 were subsequently able to extinguish the fire.
Citations:
“Firehouse Heroism & Community Service Awards,” Firehouse, April, 2006.
“Gov. Blagojevich honors fallen firefighters, recognizes 28 other firefighters for extraordinary acts of bravery,” The Gong, July-September, 2006.