Five firefighters with the Perry Volunteer Fire Department were honored Thursday by the Iowa Department of Public Safety with the 2020 Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor for heroism in the line of duty.
A total of 35 Iowans were honored with the Governor’s Lifesaving Awards and the Sullivan Brothers Award of Valor in ceremonies held in the rotunda of the Iowa State Capitol. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds attended along with Lieutenant Gov. Adam Gregg, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan K. Bayens, Iowa State Patrol Chief Col. Nathan Fulk, State Fire Marshal Dan Wood and other dignitaries.
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented observance of the 2020, which were combined with the 2021 awards in Thursday’s ceremonies.
The Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor is awarded to peace officers and firefighters who distinguish themselves by performing heroic acts in excess of normal demands of police or fire service even when fully aware of the threat to their personal safety.
The selfless bravery of Perry firefighters Israel Baltazar, Brian Eiteman, Joel Eiteman, Robert Harlan and Andrew Modlin was recognized in their saving the life of a man trapped in a house fire April 20, 2020, in Perry.
Before the fire at 924 12th St. in Perry totally destroyed the residence, the firefighters located 64-year-old Anastasio L. Galvan inside the fully engulfed house, determined he was alive but unconscious and assisted in carrying him out of harm’s way. It was the first time in the history of Perry that a person has been saved from inside a burning building.
Galvan passed away March 5, 2021, but his brother and sister-in-law, Ciso and Jolene Galvan of Perry, attended Thursday’s ceremonies, which can be seen on Facebook.
The Governor’s Lifesaving Awards Program recognizes recipients in four different categories including:
1. Lifesaving with Valor, which is awarded to those individuals who at the risk of their own life, attempted to save that of another.
2. Lifesaving, which is awarded to those individuals who have attempted to save the life of another individual, but did not put their own life in jeopardy.
3. Meritorious, which is awarded to those individuals in recognition of courageous and unselfish service rendered during a time of distress.
4. Outstanding Service, which is presented to persons who have performed a courageous act in an attempt to save an individual who was in danger of losing his or her life or to individuals who unselfishly rendered service in a time of emergency.
The Governor’s Lifesaving Awards honored 22 civilians:
• Ashley Goering – Outstanding Service Award, Grimes
• Jean Hessburg – Outstanding Service Award, Des Moines
• Larry Hoefer – Outstanding Service Award, Peosta
• Courtney Nobiling – Outstanding Service Award, Cambridge
• Alex Schwenke – Outstanding Service Award, Sigourney
• Archie Jorgenson – Meritorious Service Award, Harmony
• Daniel Liddiard – Meritorious Service Award, Waukon
• Barry Nobles – Meritorious Service Award, Waukon
• David Andringa – Lifesaving, Sheldon
• Chadwick Gillespie – Lifesaving, Winterset
• Calvin Grosvenor – Lifesaving, Milford
• Daniel Gutschenritter – Lifesaving, Creston
• Miriam Ludeke – Lifesaving, Archer
• Richard Ludeke – Lifesaving, Archer
• Daniel Mathis – Lifesaving, Waukon
• Devyn Brady – Lifesaving with Valor, Altoona
• David Duncan – Lifesaving with Valor, Mason City
• Christopher Fink – Lifesaving with Valor, Clear Lake
• Stephen Fettkether – Lifesaving with Valor, Mason City
• Cameron Goodell – Lifesaving with Valor, Missouri Valley
• Jason Hahn – Lifesaving with Valor, Mason City
• Adam Woodle – Lifesaving with Valor, Jewell
The Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor honors the memory of George, Frank, Joe, Matt and Albert Sullivan – all in their 20s – who served together on the USS Juneau in the Guadalcanal naval battle in the fall of 1942. All five brothers died together in a tragic attack when two Japanese torpedoes struck their ship. This year’s ceremony recognized 13 First Responders from three county sheriff’s offices and three fire departments:
• Deputy Shane Allen – Green County Sheriff’s Office
• Firefighter Nathanial Byerly – Churdan Fire and Rescue
• Deputy Matthew Smith – Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Zachary Scott – Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Christopher Flatness – Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office
• Assistant Chief Brian Eiteman – Perry Fire and Rescue
• Captain Andrew Modlin – Perry Fire and Rescue
• Lieutenant Joel Eiteman – Perry Fire and Rescue
• Firefighter Doug Harlan – Perry Fire and Rescue
• Firefighter Izzy Baltazar – Perry Fire and Rescue
• Deputy Corey Van Kooten – Jasper County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Brad Sheeder – Jasper County Sheriff’s Office
• Lieutenant David Sprague – Jewell Fire and Rescue
