Several Santa Barbara County firefighters and helicopter pilots were recognized Thursday for their heroic efforts during the Whittier Fire in December and debris flows that struck Montecito in January.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department hosted a Valor ceremony at the county fire headquarters near Santa Barbara, where Fire Chief Eric Peterson presented two certificates of valor and seven medals of valor to nine individuals who served beyond the line of duty.
To be approved by the appointed Valor Award Committee, there must be conclusive evidence that the act of saving or attempting to save a life was performed voluntary with an extraordinary degree of risk to the firefighter’s life, or the emergency responder voluntarily sacrificed himself or herself in an attempt to save another person.
Personnel awarded certificates of valor for the Whittier fire were county Fire Marshall Steve Oaks and Support Services Division Chief Matthew Farris.
Fire equipment operator supervisor Mark Linane, Jr. received the medal of valor for his work during the Whittier Fire.
Medals of valor for service during the debris flow were awarded to Pilot George DeLuca, a county sheriff’s deputy; county fire Capt. Thomas Wade; firefighter and paramedic Bruce Meyers and the crew of county Air Support Unit Copter 308; pilot Matt Udkow; firefighter and paramedic Bryce Wible; and county fire Capt. Glen Dupont.
Twenty-three people were killed in the Jan. 9 debris flows, and hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, along with huge infrastructure damage to the Montecito area.
The Whittier Fire broke out July 8, and burned 18,430 acres in the Santa Ynez Mountains west of Goleta.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
