Newtown Firefighters Awarded Medals Of Valor For Life Saving Actions

NEWTOWN, PA — Newtown Fire Rescue awarded two of its firefighters with Medals of Valor this week for saving lives during the flash flooding that killed seven people in neighboring Upper Makefield in 2023.

Chief Glenn Forsyth presented Medals of Valor to Deputy Chief Rory LaRosa, a volunteer with the Newtown Fire Association, and paid firefighter and EMT Shane Quinnan for their actions during the sudden and violent flooding.

The Medal of Valor is awarded to a firefighter for performance above and beyond the call of duty at extreme personal risk and having been instrumental in rescuing and saving another person's life.

The Medal of Valor.

During the flash flooding on July 15, 2023, Chief Forsyth said both firefighters performed multiple heroic rescues in the swift moving and debris filled flood waters that caught many by surprise as they were driving through the township on Route 532 and Taylorsville Road.

The flooding claimed the lives of Susan Barnhart, 53, of Titusville, New Jersey; Katheryn Seley, 32, of Charleston, S.C.; 2-year-old Mattie and her 9-month-old brother Conrad Sheils of Charlestown, S.C.; Yuko Love, 64, of Newtown Township; and Enzo, 78, and Linda DePiero, 74, of Newtown Township.

"Many of our members, both volunteer and career, responded to the initial event conducting rescues and spent the following days searching for remaining unaccounted-for victims," said the chief. They were each presented with unit citations for their efforts.

(Newtown Fire and Rescue)

(Newtown Fire and Rescue)