Bridgeport, CT – The heroic actions of eight Bridgeport Fire Department members were honored at the Hartford Healthcare St. Vincent’s Medical Center EMS Values Awards. The ceremony spotlights Emergency Medical Services providers that demonstrate the core values of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect, and empathy while providing selfless service that is patient focused.   



“Firefighters are trained and ready to step in and help at a moment’s notice. From administering vaccines, responding to medical emergencies, to fighting raging building fires -- they are here for us. Both crews of heroes acted quickly and professionally, saving lives,” stated Chief Thode. 

“As we mourn the loss of our brother Firefighter in New Haven, we are constantly reminded of the selfless dedication that Firefighters everywhere, and especially here in Bridgeport, demonstrate every day. I am immensely proud of all of them.”



September 25, 2020, Bridgeport Fire Department Ladder 6 responded to a medical call at 1069 Connecticut Ave for a patient bleeding from a laceration to his left arm. When Ladder 6 arrived, they found a man bleeding profusely from an avulsion to his upper left arm. The injury impacted the major blood vessels in his arm and detached the biceps muscle from the bone, cutting through ligaments and tendons. The BFD crew performed necessary medical interventions; such as direct pressure, wound packing, pressure bandages, and a tourniquet. The swift thinking and decisive actions of Ladder 6 saved the patient’s life and his arm. 



June 19, 2020, Bridgeport Fire Department Ladder 11 was dispatched to 2407 Fairfield Avenue for a traumatic injury. Upon arrival, they found a 4-year old child lying in the parking lot of a laundromat. The child had accidently raised the power window in the car he was in, cutting off circulation in his neck. A Good Samaritan broke the car window and removed him from the car just as Ladder 11 arrived. The child was unconscious with no discernable pulse. BFD members initiated chest compressions and administered oxygen. After approximately one minute, the child started to gasp, move a bit, and a pulse was detected. Medics arrived afterward and the child was transported in critical condition. The child later fully recovered and was released from the hospital.



The eight Bridgeport Fire Department members that were recognized include (pictured, from left to right): 

• Firefighter Richard Rivera  - Ladder 11 D

• Firefighter Walter Medina – Ladder 11 D

• Firefighter Jonathan Colon – Ladder 11 D

• Firefighter Patrick Burlison – Ladder 6 B

• Firefighter Luis Rodriguez – Ladder 6 B

• Firefighter Herbie Meghie – Ladder 6 B



(not pictured) 

• Lieutenant Timothy Shepard – Ladder 11 D

• Lieutenant Damaso Morales – Ladder 6 B