7 PG County Firefighters Honored with Medals of Valor

GREENBELT, MD — Seven firefighters in Prince George's County have received Public Safety Valor Awards, one of them post-humously, in connection with a deadly incident a year ago that resulted in the death of Lt. John E. "Skillet" Ulmschneider.

The county awarded a Gold Medal of Valor posthumously to slain firefighter Ulmschneider and severely injured firefighter Kevin J. Swain, Sr.

Two firefighters received a Silver Medal of Valor and three received a Bronze Medal of Valor for "rescuing other firefighters out of harms way as others were recognized for rescuing crash victims," according to a statement from the Prince George's County Fire Department. They are Volunteer Captin David Riley, Volunteer Firefighter Shaquita Livingston, Firefighter Aaron Van Schoonhoven, Volunteer Lt. Michael O'Brien, and Volunteer Firefighter Matthew K. Ward and Branden Fitch.

The posthumous awardee, Lt. John "Skillet" Ulmschneider, was shot in the chest after checking on the welfare of a family member at home in Temple Hills in April 2016. The second Gold Medal of Valor awardee, Kevin Swain, was shot three times during the incident, but survived his injuries after being rushed to the hospital. Riley and Livingston received Silver Medal of Valor awards for dragging him out of the line of fire at risk to their own lives, and being injured in the process.

Firefighters Van Schoonhoven, Fitch, and O'Brien, and Ward were honored with a Bronze Medal of Valor for their efforts to assist the injured firefighters.

For more information, read the full announcement from PGFD.

Images via PGFD: Ulmschneider, Swain, Riley, Livingston, Van Schoonhoven, O"Brien, Ward