Fire Apparatus Engineer

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

3/31/2012

Special Act Award (Gold)

On March 31, 2012, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Fire Apparatus Engineer Joseph Walton was off duty and at home in Paradise when he heard someone screaming for help. He and his mother-in-law ran toward the cries and saw three pit bulls viciously attacking his female neighbor. The pit bulls had jumped over a nearby fence and attacked the woman as she was bringing in her garbage can, dragging her to the ground and biting her repeatedly, one going for her throat while the other two were biting her arms. Engineer Walton pulled the dog going for her throat off of her and threw him to the side. He then pushed the other two dogs away. He confirmed 911 was called and pulled the woman further away from the dogs so he and his mother-in-law could administer medical care. The aggressive dogs circled back repeatedly, and Engineer Walton and other neighbors fought them off with sticks and even their bare hands. Another neighbor was bitten in the arm. The woman was transported to a Trauma Center with severe injuries. She underwent multiple surgeries and skin grafts, but survived the ordeal.