| Name: | Ryan Hotz |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Macomb Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | Career |
| Rank: | Firefighter |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighter rescue, Firefighting operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Valor |
| Year of Award: | 2008 |
| Incident City: | Macomb |
| Year of Incident: | 2007 |
| Incident Location Type: | Commercial |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Firefighters Ryan Hotz and Steve Teslicka of the Macomb Fire Department were awarded the Medal of Valor for their efforts to save two firefighters during a commercial building fire in Macomb, Illinois on June 6, 2007.
A fire erupted in Corinne’s Court on West Jackson Street in Macomb. Lieutenant Steve Welch and Firefighter Dirk Raymer were inside the building when flames were not yet visible on its exterior. After evacuation orders were given, the fire quickly spread to the roof. As Welch and Raymer were making their way out of the building, the roof collapsed, leaving them trapped and entangled in wiring.
Dispatchers from the Macomb Fire Department were alerted that more assistance was needed. They sent out a page and Firefighters Hotz and Teslicka responded, both of whom had been off-duty at the time. Once on the scene, Teslicka took the fire hose the two trapped firefighters had been using and sprayed the area around them to keep the flames at bay. Hotz rescued Firefighter Welch, who suffered mild burns. Teslicka grabbed Firefighter Raymer and removed him to safety.
Citations:
”Firefighters earn Medal of Valor,” The Journal Star, March 6, 2008.
”Hometown heroes,” McDonough County This Week, September 1, 2008.
”Taylor honors firefighters, residents helping in Corinne’s Court blaze,” Macomb Eagle, August 29, 2007.