| Name: | Christopher Soda |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Chicago Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | Career |
| Rank: | Paramedic/Emergency Medical Technician |
| Type of Duty: | Emergency medical care, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Valor |
| Year of Award: | 2015 |
| Incident City: | Chicago |
| Year of Incident: | 2014 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Chicago Fire Department Paramedics Timothy Rottman and Christopher Soda were awarded Medals of Valor for their actions during an apartment building fire in Chicago in 2014.
Ambulance 52 was driving when they were flagged down by a group of civilians, who alerted them to a fire in the apartment building. A woman informed Rottman and Soda that a child was still inside the burning building. The two paramedics entered the building to search for the child. A civilian ran further into the building than them and collapsed. Rottman and Soda dragged the victim out, then attempted to re-enter to continue to search for the child in the rear bedroom. Deteriorating conditions forced them out of the building before they could locate the young victim. After a positive water supply was established, the child in severe respiratory distress was removed from the building and transferred to Rottman and Soda. They began treating the child, who was then transported to a hospital.
Citations:
”D’Amico Congratulates Local Firefighter for Medal of Valor Award,” The Glenview Patch, May 19, 2015.
“Firehouse 2014 Heroism Awards $100 Winners,” Firehouse Magazine, June 1, 2015.