County Division Chief Earns National Award For Rescue Efforts

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Anne Arundel County Fire Department Division Chief Robert Brewer has been named as a Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor recipient by Firehouse. The Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor is named after Worcester, Mass., Fire Department District Chief (ret.) Mike McNamee, who "displayed great courage" at the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire in December 1999 when he stopped additional Worcester firefighters from entering the building when there were already six lost inside.

Brewer was selected as an award winner for his efforts in rescuing a victim. According to Firehouse, Brewer was the first to arrive and was assessing the situation when a man told him his mother was trapped inside. Fire was visible from a first-floor window and heavy smoke was rolling out from the second floor. Brewer put on his PPE and SCBA to conduct a vent-enter-search effort. After closing the door to the room to block the intense fire conditions, Brewer searched the room to locate the woman. Two firefighters helped get the woman to the ladder as fire began to invade the room. Brewer then performed a ladder bail as the room became engulfed in flames.