Two employees of the Guam Fire Department were honored with the Medal of Valor for their bravery and heroism in rescuing two distressed swimmers in hazardous conditions following Typhoon Mawar last year.
On Sunday, GFD celebrated its 39th anniversary with a dinner at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa in Tumon.
The festivities included not only recognizing firefighters earning promotions and naming the firefighter of the year, Paul Sablan, but also presenting the Medal of Valor to GFD Lt. Andrew Lee and Firefighter Jerred Wells for rescue efforts hours after the passage of Typhoon Mawar.
GFD Rescue Commander Battalion Chief Roderick Meno, who submitted Lee and Wells for the “first-of-its-kind award,” stated at the dinner that Lee and Wells responded to the call of five distressed swimmers at Hågat Marina on May 25, 2023, at 5:18 p.m., shortly after Condition of Readiness 4 was declared following Typhoon Mawar.
The swimmers, who were five male teenagers, were swept from the Hågat Marina into the Hågat Channel and pulled toward open water when sea conditions were “extremely hazardous, where storm surge was presenting waves in excess of 20 to 25 feet, winds were gusting to 50 miles per hour and ocean currents were heavy,” Meno said.
Additionally, communications to dispatch or the GFD Command Post were unavailable due to damage. Search-and-rescue assets such as vessels, watercraft and helicopter support were still in storage.
Regardless, Meno said, Lee attempted to make a “mayday call” to dispatch and GFD Rescue Operations via radio and phone but was unsuccessful. Lee then tasked Wells to attempt to make contact while Lee entered the water to rescue the swimmers.
“At 5:21 p.m., equipped with a personal flotation device, a mask, a snorkel, and (a) rescue board, Lt. Lee entered the water and began swimming towards the victim. Within several minutes, Lt. Lee made contact with the first victim and assisted him onto the rescue board, and then attempted to swim the victim to a point of refuge,” Meno said, saying the task “was extremely difficult” due to the fatigue of the swimmer.
At 5:30 p.m., Wells then entered the water to assist Lee, after making successful contact with GFD Rescue operations, and helped Lee and the victim to the point of refuge.
About 10 minutes later, rescue personnel arrived to assist Lee and Wells in bringing the swimmer to shore, but before their arrival, Meno said Lee and Wells “demonstrated tremendous bravery and perseverance, as they were determined to keep the victim above the surface.”
After rescuing the first swimmer, Lee went back to the channel and recovered a second swimmer who was about 500 meters from the Marina.
“At 5:50 p.m., Lt. Lee deployed from the rescue watercraft and swam to the victim, who was unresponsive and a few feet below the surface. Lt. Lee loaded the victim onto the rescue watercraft sled and initiated CPR. The victim was then transported to shore where he was transferred to shore-based units,” said Meno who commended Lee and Wells for their “tremendous bravery.”
“(Lee and Wells) demonstrated tremendous bravery, as they acted without regard to their own lives. Their decision to effectuate surface water rescue operations when there was no assistance available, nor any guarantee that the mayday call was received, demonstrated the true essence of heroism that embodies the fire service. Their actions reflect great credit upon themselves, the Guam Fire Department and the island of Guam.”
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