Deputy State Fire Marshal, Supervisor

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

10/27/2008

Special Act Award (Gold)

On October 27, 2008, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Deputy State Fire Marshal Supervisor Stephen Charles Guarino was in Sacramento County traveling on Interstate 5 when he witnessed a pick-up truck and van driving erratically. Both vehicles were chasing and slamming into each other through traffic and weaving erratically into and out of all lanes on the freeway. When the truck attempted to force the van off the road, the truck lost control, ran off the freeway, collided with a tree, and caught fire. Deputy Guarino stopped his vehicle and ran to the left side of the truck. He saw that the male driver was going in and out of consciousness. Another witness came to assist in getting the driver out of the burning truck and brought his fire extinguisher. The truck doors were jammed shut, so Deputy Guarino used the fire extinguisher to break the driver’s side window. Both he and the other witness pulled the man out to safety, and Deputy Guarino started administrating first aid to the man until the ambulance arrived. Deputy Guarino’s heroic and speedy actions saved the man’s life.