Deputy

Department of Justice

6/15/2013

Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor

On June 15, 2013, Deputy Arturo Ramirez responded to a 911 call describing an apartment fire in the 14000 block of Rodeo Drive in the City of Victorville. Upon arriving, he witnessed that several units were already on fire and requested that the fire department expedite is response and ha additional deputies were needed to help assist with the evacuation. When residents reported people trapped in an apartment engulfed in flames and smoke, Deputy Ramirez ran up the stairs and entered the apartment. Inside he discovered a woman holding a five-month old baby and an 11-year old girl who was clutching a toddler. Deputy Ramirez guided all through the thick smoke downstairs to safety. Despite suffering smoke inhalation and bleared vision, upon being told a little girl was still inside, and seeing tiny hands pounding on the second floor window, he charged back up the stairs. Locating the little girl, he cradled her in his arms and ran down the stairs so both could be treated by paramedic personnel arriving on the scene