| Name: | Joseph Grodjesk |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Galesburg Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | |
| Rank: | Firefighter |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighting operations, Hose operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Valor |
| Year of Award: | 2012 |
| Incident City: | Galesburg |
| Year of Incident: | 2011 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Captain Derek W. Perry and Firefighter Joseph E. Grodjesk of the Galesburg Fire Department were awarded the Medal of Valor for their efforts to rescue a female victim from a residential fire in Galesburg, Illinois on June 29, 2011.
Near midnight, the Galesburg Fire Department received word that there was a fire at 861 E. Brooks St. Prior to the Fire Department arriving, a nearby resident kicked in the door of the home and rescued a two-year-old and a four-year-old, but was unable to rescue another tenant who was still inside. The fire was intense enough that residents were jumping off the roof to escape.
Captain Perry and Firefighter Grodjesk arrived and entered the home. The smoke was so thick that they failed to find the victim at first. They continued their search and were able to find an unconscious 27-year-old female victim in a bedroom on the second floor. After they removed her from harm’s way, they re-entered the home, found the source of the flames, and were able to extinguish it.
Citations:
“Humble Galesburg firefighter awarded Medal of Valor,” The Register-Mail, March 19, 2012.
“Special honor a little early for local firefighter,” WGIL.com, March 19, 2012.
“Springfield ceremony honors Galesburg firefighters,” Peoria Journal Star, May 13, 2012.