Fire Captain

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

6/9/2021

Special Act Award (Gold)

On June 9, 2021, just after noon, Fire Captain Eric Ayers was traveling with his daughter south of Grass Valley. Captain Ayers came upon a major car accident with a large SUV overturned with major front-end damage. He stopped to help, and noticed a fire under the engine compartment as well as a person trapped in the driver’s seat. Captain Ayers told his daughter to collect fire extinguishers and cutting tools from passing cars. The trapped driver could not be reached through the passenger doors or the sunroof, as the fire engulfed the front of the vehicle and began spreading into the passenger compartment. Entering through the rear, Captain Ayers tried to remove the driver, but was trapped by the driver seatbelt. As the heat and smoke forced him back out of the vehicle, he found his daughter had collected three fire extinguishers to put out the flames. Unfortunately, they were not enough. With the help of an additional off duty firefighter and passing ambulance staff, Captain Ayers attempted to free the driver through the sunroof to no avail. Another passing motorist gave Captain Ayers a reciprocating saw that he used to expand the sunroof, but it was not until the first responding fire engine arrived that the driver was finally freed and the fire extinguished. The driver was admitted to UCDMC burn unit with extensive injuries. Without Captain Ayers, his daughter, and others on the scene, the driver would not have survived. With no regard for his own safety, Captain Ayers went above and beyond the call of duty. The State of California takes great pride in presenting the Gold Medal of Valor to Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Captain Eric Ayers.