Orland Firefighter volunteers honored for helping victims of Hurricane Helene

OFPD Fire Chief Michael Schofield presented awards and citations to Firefighters who volunteered to help residents in North Carolina during the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Schofield presents awards to Firefighters and Orland Park Police who saved the life of a fire colleague who experienced cardiac arrest during a routine training session last September

Orland Park, IL – Orland Firefighters who volunteered to help the victims of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina in September 2024 received the MABAS Humanitarian Award presented Tuesday by the Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) Command and Board of Trustees.

OFPD Fire Chief Michael Schofield also presented citations to seven Firefighters/paramedics for saving the life of a Firefighter colleague who experienced cardiac arrest during a routine training session last year.

Schofield and board members also expressed their gratitude to members of the Orland Park Police who also intervened in saving the life of Firefighter James Karp who suffered a heart attack on Sept. 14, 2024.

“The Orland Fire Protection District is not only an EMS and Fire Department, we are an all-hazard agency. That means we are trained in hazmat, technical rescue, and water rescue. But the Firefighters who do that have to put in hundreds of hours of training in order to get on one of our teams and they have many certifications,” Schofield said.

OFPD Fire Chief Michael Schofield, award recipient Lt. Daniel Ritchie, and presenter Illinois Task Force 1 Team Leader and OFPD Battalion Chief John Purtill. Photo. courtesy of the OFPD

“We started our dive team here in Orland in 1980, and our TRT team and our Hazmat team in 1986. We were charter members of CART and charter members of Southwest Hazmat, which now is MABAS19 Hazmat. In order to be part of these teams, you had to be one of the best of the best here in Orland. Not anybody can get on a team. But we are the Best of the Best.”

Schofield said that a team of volunteers from the OFPD was led by Lt. Daniel Ritchie to help in the Hurricane Helene rescues in North Carolina, earning the MABAS Humanitarian Award.

Ritchie detailed the difficulties his team faced when they arrived in the heavily flooded and damaged Hurricane devasted areas. They faced heavy flooding, damaged and dangerous power lines, downed trees, blocked roads, and victims who were clinging in the cold to tree branches and rooftops.

After the rescues, Ritchie described how the team, which consisted of 12 other volunteers from other fire departments in the Chicagoland region also helped distribute food, water, and supplies to the displaced families.

In a second presentation, Schofield, Illinois Task Force 1 Team Leader and Battalion Chief John Purtill, and the Board presented citations to seven firefighters for their fast action in saving the life of Firefighter James Karp who collapsed with cardiac arrest during a routine Fire District training exercise, saving his life.

The individuals honored were Lt. Carl Jones, Lt. Kevin Frawley, Engineer Jonathan Kendra, Firefighter Brian Knights, Firefighter Jacob McCleary, Firefighter Michael Pacella, and Battalion Chief Nicholas Tufts.

The Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) presented award citations to eight Firefighters at its meeting Tuesday who volunteered to help in the Hurricane Helene relief, and who also saved the life of a colleague last September 2024. The presentations were made the OFPD Board meeting Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025. Photo courtesy of the OFPD — The Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) presented award citations to Firefighters at its meeting Tuesday who volunteered to help in the Hurricane Helene relief, and who also saved the life of a colleague last September 2024. The presentations were made at the OFPD Board meeting Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025. Photo courtesy of the OFPD

Schofield praised the team for responding with the same professionalism and experience as if the victim were a citizen from outside the Fire District, noting that the OFPD has one of the nation’s best reputations with the highest Cardiac Arrest Save Rate in the Midwest. More than 71 percent of Cardiac Arrest victims survive in the OFPD compared to a national save rate of only 10 to 15 percent.

The ceremony ended when members of the Orland Park Police, who also assisted in the cardiac emergency response for Karp, presented the Karp Family with a $2,500 donation to help with medical expenses and recovery efforts.

Police Sgt. Mike Freeman accompanied by Sgt. Pat Gallagher and Lt. Kerry Kelly-Valan explained that they raise funds to assist first responder families in need from police officers who have suffered major illnesses, injuries, and health challenges, and firefighters like Lt. Karp.

OFPD Board Chairman John Brudnak praised all of the firefighters and officers for “always placing the interests of those in need ahead of their own safety. They do so much to help our residents and it is good to see them honored here today. Congratulations on behalf of the Board of Trustees to all of the Firefighters and police officers for their hard work in saving lives.”

You can view the video of the ceremony by visiting www.OrlandFire.org or by clicking THIS LINK, or by using the video widget below: