| Name: | Nicholas Tomeczko |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Brookfield Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | Career |
| Rank: | Firefighter |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighting operations, SCBA operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Valor |
| Year of Award: | 2010 |
| Incident City: | Brookfield |
| Year of Incident: | 2009 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Firefighters Patrick McBrien, Michael Teska, and Nicholas Temeczko of the Brookfield Fire Department were awarded the Medal of Valor for their efforts rescue victims of a residential fire in Brookfield, Illinois on January 8, 2009.
Engine 411 arrived at the 3500 block of Park Avenue to find a residence fully engulfed in flames and black smoke. Firefighters McBrien, Temeczko, and Frank Oliver were the first to enter the building. With their SCBA equipment on, they searched for survivors. Luckily, they found a female infant who was unconscious, nestled in a car seat, and removed her to safety. With increasingly thick black smoke, they had to use a thermal imaging camera to see inside the fiery residence. Further searching turned up an unconscious four-year-old boy. They also located a large elderly male. Firefighter Teska assisted McBrien and Temeczko in the removal of the victim from the home even though they yet to receive a continuous flow of water to extinguish the fire. Each victim was subsequently removed to safety after a hoseline was properly secured.
Citations:
“Firefighters, police officer take Medal of Valor,” Brookfield Suburban Life, November 17, 2009.
“Orland man honored for heroic firefighting efforts,” Southtown Star, January 14, 2010.
“Orland resident honored by 100 Club of Chicago,” 22nd Century Media, December 16, 2009.
17th Annual Illinois Fallen Firefighter Memorial and Firefighter Medal of Honor Awards Ceremony, May 13, 2010 (video).
“Valor awards,” 100 Club of Chicago, April 26, 2011.