H*3985 Concurrent Resolution, By Whatley, Knotts, Dantzler, Allen, Allison, 
Altman, Askins, Bales, Barfield, Barrett, Battle, Bingham, Bowers, Breeland, 
G. Brown, J. Brown, R. Brown, Campsen, Carnell, Cato, Chellis, Clyburn, Coates, 
Cobb-Hunter, Coleman, Cooper, Cotty, Davenport, Delleney, Easterday, Edge, 
Emory, Fleming, Freeman, Frye, Gilham, Gourdine, Govan, Hamilton, Harrell, 
Harrison, Harvin, Haskins, Hayes, J. Hines, M. Hines, Hinson, Hosey, Howard, 
Huggins, Jennings, Keegan, Kelley, Kennedy, Kirsh, Klauber, Koon, Law, Leach, 
Lee, Limehouse, Littlejohn, Lloyd, Loftis, Lourie, Lucas, Mack, Martin, McCraw, 
McGee, McLeod, Meacham-Richardson, Merrill, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, J.H. Neal, 
J.M. Neal, Neilson, Ott, D. Owens, Parks, Perry, Phillips, Quinn, Rhoad, Rice, 
Riser, Rivers, Robinson, Rodgers, Rutherford, Sandifer, Scarborough, Scott, 
Sharpe, Sheheen, Simrill, Sinclair, D.C. Smith, F.N. Smith, G.M. Smith, 
J.E. Smith, J.R. Smith, W.D. Smith, Snow, Stille, Stuart, Talley, Taylor, 
Thompson, Townsend, Tripp, Trotter, Vaughn, Walker, Webb, Weeks, Whipper, White, 
Wilder, Wilkins, Witherspoon, A. Young and J. Young
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO COMMEND AND CONGRATULATE MEMBERS OF THE NORTH
 CHARLESTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE HEROISM AND BRAVERY THEY DISPLAYED ENTERING
 A BURNING RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE AND LOCATING, RESCUING, AND RESUSCITATING AN
 UNCONSCIOUS FEMALE VICTIM AND HER PETS, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE HEROISM AWARDS
 EACH FIREFIGHTER AND THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED FROM FIREHOUSE MAGAZINE.

   04/19/01  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-68
   04/24/01  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-22

TO COMMEND AND CONGRATULATE MEMBERS OF THE NORTH CHARLESTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE HEROISM AND BRAVERY THEY DISPLAYED ENTERING A BURNING RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE AND LOCATING, RESCUING, AND RESUSCITATING AN UNCONSCIOUS FEMALE VICTIM AND HER PETS, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE HEROISM AWARDS EACH FIREFIGHTER AND THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED FROM FIREHOUSE MAGAZINE.

Whereas, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2000, the North Charleston Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire at 2820 Houston Street. Heavy smoke and fire conditions were found in the living and dining room areas when Engine 7 and Squad 8 arrived; and

Whereas, a bystander told the firefighters that a person was trapped inside the burning structure. The firefighters immediately began simultaneous interior attack and primary search operations, and upon entering the structure, found the fire had nearly consumed the entire right side of the house; and

Whereas, additional fire units arrived on the scene from the North Charleston Fire Department; and

Whereas, upon entering the rear left bedroom, Firefighter Mark McDonald found an unconscious and unresponsive female victim in her bed. Firefighter Mario Gates also entered the bedroom from the hallway to assist in removing the victim to the outside; and

Whereas, the only exit route led down the hallway and passed rooms involved in fire. Firefighter Scott Roland entered and assisted Firefighters McDonald and Gates in rescuing the victim; and

Whereas, Firefighters McDonald, Gates, and Scott Roland passed the initial interior attack crew, and Firefighter McDonald stated he thought another victim was still in the same bedroom. Firefighter Bruce Roland, a member of the attack crew, left the hoseline to his captain and began searching for the second victim; and

Whereas, the first victim was in full arrest and Battalion Chief David Bourne, Engineer Troy Driscoll, and Firefighter Greg Palmer performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on her. By the time the Charleston County Emergency Medical Service arrived, the victim was conscious and breathing on her own; and

Whereas, Firefighter Bruce Roland entered the bedroom, found the second victim was actually a large dog, and immediately exited with the dog. Firefighters Gates and Heyniger continued to search the structure, and in the rear of the structure found another dog and a cat. All three animals were in respiratory distress and unresponsive. Resuscitation efforts began immediately and the animals were transported to an emergency veterinarian by the North Charleston Police Department. The dogs survived the fire trauma; however, the cat's injuries proved fatal; and

Whereas, because of the efforts of these brave men and the North Charleston Fire Department, the victim and her two dogs made a full and complete recovery; and

Whereas, the members of this heroic rescue are Firefighters Mark McDonald, Mario Gates, Scott Roland, Bruce Roland, Cortland Heyniger, Greg Palmer, Engineer Troy Driscoll, and Battalion Chief David Bourne. The North Charleston Fire Department received a Unit Heroism Citation, and firefighters Mark McDonald, Scott Roland, and Mario Gates received individual Heroism Awards from Firehouse Magazine for their courageous efforts. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, commend and congratulate members of the North Charleston Fire Department for the heroism and bravery they displayed entering a burning residential structure and locating, rescuing, and resuscitating an unconscious female victim and her pets, and recognize the heroism awards each firefighter and the department received from Firehouse Magazine.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Chief Alvar Rissanen of the North Charleston Fire Department and each of the eight fire service personnel named in this resolution.