Hinsdale Firefighters Honored for Rescue of Elderly Woman

Two Hinsdale firefighters were presented with individual citations last week for performing with "exceptional professional skill along with personal risk" during the Feb. 28 rescue of an elderly woman from a burning Hinsdale house, while five other crewmembers were honored with a unit citation.

During the May 21 Village of Hinsdale Board of Trustees meeting, Village President Tom Cauley publicly recognized local firefighters who responded to the 3:51 a.m. call that Thursday in the 900 block of South Bruner Street.

READ: Elderly Woman Rescued from Burning House in Hinsdale

Firefighter/paramedics Don Newberry and Dan Majewski were presented with the individual awards. The two firefighters made up the search team that went into the home and found the unconscious woman in a rear family room after her son alerted the unit that she was still inside. 

After taking her outside, Newberry and Majewski, with assistance from firefighter/paramedic Jim Nichols, provided medical treatment to the woman. They continued treatment in the ambulance that took her to Adventist Hinsdale Hospital's intensive care unit.

"In this case," Cauley said, "firefighter/paramedics Newberry and Majewski are each presented an individual citation for their search, rescue, and emergency medical treatment and transportation of this resident."

A unit citation was presented to five other members of the Hinsdale Fire Department: Capt. Dave DeWolf, Lt. Bill Claybrook, and firefighter/paramedics Nick McDonough, Nichols and Steve Tullis.

DeWolf served as incident commander during the fire; Claybrook led interior operations; Tullis and McDonough deployed water-hose lines to the interior of the home, providing fire suppression; and Nichols provided exterior support for both the suppression and search crews.

"Their actions as a crew exemplify the meaning of teamwork," Cauley said. 

The fire was ruled an accident, and the fire department turned it over to insurance companies shortly after to determine the exact cause. The rescued woman was released from Adventist Hinsdale Hospital several weeks after the incident.