| Name: | Dan Schiradelly |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Oswego Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | |
| Rank: | Battalion Chief |
| Type of Duty: | Water rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Honor |
| Year of Award: | 2014 |
| Incident City: | Oswego |
| Year of Incident: | 2013 |
| Incident Location Type: | Water/Waterfront |
| Incident Attribute: |
Oswego Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Dan Schiradelly was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during flooding in Oswego on April 18, 2013.
A woman and her son had been attempting to clear debris from a drain in the pond near their home when their boat was pulled into the drain by powerful suction caused by floodwater. The son was able to free himself and call 911. His father jumped into the water to try to rescue his wife but was also pulled in and held in the drain. He worked to keep his wife’s mouth clear from the rising waters.
Schiradelly was the first unit to arrive. He entered the frigid water in water rescue gear. He secured the woman and her husband and directed additional first responders. He identified the main issue, which was that in order to remove the pair, the boat must first be removed, but once the boat was pulled away there would be nothing to stop the couple from being pulled farther into the 150-foot pipe. Schiradelly coordinated rescue efforts, and once all safety lines were in place, he chose to stay with the victims. The victims were then safely removed from the water and transported to a hospital.
Citations:
“Meet the 2014 Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award Nominees,” Fire Engineering, March 3, 2014.