5 Orlando cops earn hero medals
Published: May 16, 2006
Five Orlando police officers will receive the state’s Medal of Heroism this morning from Gov. Jeb Bush in Tallahassee.
The five officers risked their lives last year to rescue a family trapped in its South Semoran Boulevard apartment by fire and thick smoke, according to the award nomination.
“During this rescue, an elderly grandmother was carrying a very frightened child. The grandmother fell to the ground, causing the child to stop from fear inside the apartment,” the nomination said. “Officer [Alex] Caro moved in to rescue the child as Officer [Dante] Candelaria assisted the grandmother to safety.”
The governor is scheduled to present the medals at 9 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting in the state Capitol. Afterward, the officers will tour the Governor’s Mansion.
The officers, all members of the East Side division, were patrolling on the evening of Oct. 5 when Officer Phil Maio noticed dark smoke pouring from Palm Bay Apartments, reports show.
Intense heat and smoke prevented police from entering the apparent source of the fire in a ground-floor apartment, so they broke out the rear windows to vent the smoke and call inside for victims, reports show.
No one was home, but the officers found residents trapped upstairs in a second-floor apartment.
“The officers yelled for the residents to run from the apartment, but the residents were too scared,” prompting the rescue, reports show.
Members of the family that was rescued could not be reached Monday. The apartments, now known as Villas at Pinecrest, are on Semoran Boulevard, south of Curry Ford Road.
“An outstanding display of heroism in the face of danger!” wrote Deputy Police Chief Eugenio Bernal, then a captain in charge of the East Patrol Division. “Fantastic!”
The five officers were treated afterward for smoke inhalation. Besides Caro, Maio and Candelaria, Officers Robert Costa and Jonathan Adkins took part in the rescue, reports show.
The officers previously received the Police Department’s Award of Valor.
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