SPOKANE, Wash. — Firefighter Liam Riley has been awarded the Spokane Fire Department Medal of Valor for his action during a structure fire rescue in August of 2025.
Riley responded to a fire on South Sherman Street after reports indicated someone might be trapped inside the building. Upon arrival, his crew was assigned to search the first-floor apartment, where Riley entered the unit despite heavy smoke, intense heat, and active fire.
With visibility reduced to nearly zero, Riley systematically searched the apartment and located an unresponsive elderly man in the living room. Recognizing that retracing his path to the entrance would waste critical time and expose the victim to worsening conditions, Riley quickly identified an alternative route.
Riley and his team brought the victim to a nearby window and transferred the man to firefighters and medical personnel waiting outside.
The entire rescue was completed within minutes of the initial emergency call.
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