By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – Two firefighters from the Millstone Township Fire Company have been honored for the roles they had in saving a man’s life.
On Oct. 2, Lt. Alan South and firefighter Mark Mains were awarded the Medal of Valor Class 3 by the Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office, according to Monmouth County Fire Marshal Kevin Stout.
The awards were presented during the Monmouth County Fallen Firefighters and Medal Awards Ceremonies at the Monmouth County Fire Academy, Howell.
The Medal of Valor Class 3 is presented when unusual personal risk affecting the rescue is exhibited during a rescue effort.
As previously reported in the Examiner, South and Mains rescued a township resident during a house fire in January. After responding to an alarm at a home on Stillhouse Road, firefighters found a young boy outside and the child reported that his dad was inside the burning residence.
At that time, South and Mains entered the home, located the adult and brought him to safety.
Mains attended the Feb. 3 meeting of the Township Committee and told municipal officials the firefighters did not know there was a fire until they were at the house’s driveway. He said that as firefighters were getting ready to battle the blaze, a 6-year-old boy approached them and said he could not find his father.
Mains said he went into the house to look for the boy’s father and after searching through several rooms, he discovered the man was in the basement. The man had passed out, so Mains and South had to carry him out of the house.
Mains told committee members he believes the boy is the true hero of the incident because he kept calm and informed the firefighters about his father.
South, who is a career (paid) firefighter, has been a member of the fire company since 2001. Mains, who has been a career firefighter since 2005, started out as a volunteer with the fire company in 1996.
Also honored at the Oct. 2 ceremony were Millstone Fire Chief Jim Carbin and firefighter Tim Byrne, who were awarded a Unit Citation for their role in the rescue.
A Unit Citation is given when a unit displays knowledge, initiative and teamwork under the direction of an officer, and has performed in an extraordinary manner in the area of fire suppression or any unusual incident, according to Stout.
