| Name: | Josh Hill |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Hazel Crest Department of Fire, Rescue & Inspection |
| Type of Firefighter: | |
| Rank: | Firefighter |
| Type of Duty: | Firefighter rescue, Firefighting operations, Search and rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Honor |
| Year of Award: | 2006 |
| Incident City: | Markham |
| Year of Incident: | 2005 |
| Incident Location Type: | Residential |
| Incident Attribute: | Fires |
Lieutenant Johnny Jones and Firefighter Josh Hill of the Hazel Crest Department of Fire and Rescue Services were awarded the Medal of Valor for their actions to save a fellow firefighter during a residential fire in Markham, Illinois, on January 16, 2005.
Engine Company 1532 of the Markham Fire Department was responding to a house fire when they called for assistance from a mutual aid Truck Company from Hazel Crest. At the scene, Jones and Firefighter Kevin Sears were getting ready to ventilate the roof when it unexpectedly collapsed beneath the feet of both men. Sears tumbled into the garage below where they were standing.
At first, Lieutenant Jones attempted to slide a ground ladder through an opening that extended down to the garage to rescue Firefighter Sears. He has thwarted, however, by flames that shot up through the opening. Jones climbed down from the roof and entered the structure through a boarded door with the assistance of Firefighter Hill. Once in the garage, they had to negotiate around automobiles and scattered debris. Through intense heat and dense smoke, they located Sears, who they found unconscious. Firefighter Jim Brower, with help from Markham and Country Club Hills firefighters, sawed a hole through a heavily reinforced overhead door that allowed Jones and Hill to remove Sears from an increasingly dangerous situation.
Citations:
”Firefighters honored for saving comrade.” The Star, June 2, 2005.
”Gov. Blagojevich honors fallen firefighters, recognizes 28 other firefighters for extraordinary acts of bravery,”Illinois Government News Network, May 11, 2006.
”Hazel Crest firefighters earn medals.” The Star, May 14, 2006.
”Heroic firefighters honored.” Daily Southtown, May 12, 2006.