On the stormy evening of Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, multiple lightning strikes ignited the roof of the Mount Pleasant Place retirement complex in Monroe, Ohio. Monroe Fire Department’s first responding crew acted with courage and expertise to save the lives of senior citizens trapped on the top floor, directly under the burning roof. In what could have been a catastrophic situation, instead all of the residents were rescued as the fire spread, before the roof collapsed and thick smoke rapidly engulfed the three-story building.
The Fire Department’s heroic actions are being heralded with the prestigious 2017 International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)/Motorola Solutions Ben Franklin Award for Valor.