Battalion Chief

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

10/26/2003

Special Act Award (Gold)

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Battalion Chief’s James Rissmiller and William Mason performed an act of heroism at risk to their own personal safety when they drove through active fire that was burning across the roadway to rescue a CDF engine crew of 6 individuals and two members of the news media. On October 26, 2003 fire started as three separate fires, Old Fire, Grand Prix Fire and Devore Fire that merged together in the Community of Devore, San Bernardino County. Chief Mason and Rissmiller responded to a request for help from CDF engine 3575, which had become inoperable due to mechanical failure while performing structure protection duties at a home, now lay directly in the path of the fire. The trapped firefighters and media personnel had taken refuge in the garage portion of the home as parts of the main exterior of the home and the entire area around the home burned fiercely. Chief’s Mason and Rissmiller drove their vehicles through the fire front to the burning structure as the flames grew closer to the trapped firefighters and media personnel and picked up the four trapped individuals, three in Chief Rissmiller’s vehicle and one in Chief Mason’s and drove them all to safety. Chief’s Mason and Rissmiller’s brave and heroic actions prevented not only serious injury but also possible loss of firefighter and civilian lives.