Lt. Steven Traylor and Firefighters William Jeffords and Michael Harrell of Chesterfield County (Va.) Fire and EMS have been selected as this year's winners of the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor. The award, co-sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Motorola, Inc. The award was presented at Fire-Rescue International, Denver, Colo.

Traylor, Jeffords and Harrell were selected for their part in the dramatic rescue of more than twenty people trapped in apartment buildings during severe flash flooding on Aug. 30, 2004. The remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston delivered the equivalent of a 500-year rain, flooding the bottom floors of the Falling Creek Apartment complex. With waters dramatically rising and at least one building beginning to crumble, people trapped on the second floor panicked and threatened to jump.

Traylor, Jeffords and Harrell helped direct six occupants to the one accessible window, where they helped victims cross a straight ladder balanced between the window and an aerial ladder basket that could not quite reach them.

Meanwhile, seven residents realized they were blocked from reaching the window by a masonry firewall. Traylor, Jeffords and Harrell began work to rescue them. With only hand tools and while the building groaned and threatened to collapse, Jeffords and Harrell broke through the wall, removing three children and two adults through a small opening.

That left two more victims and time was running out. The crew broke through a second opening, rescuing another adult. As conditions on the ground and in the building became too unstable, the crew's commanders advised evacuation. Meanwhile, several other people were trapped in a second apartment building.

Traylor, Jeffords and Harrell also worked with additional crews to rescue eight people in the second building, using an opening cut into the roof. Victims were led across the roof and over a straight ladder to a safe area. The one victim left in the first building was subsequently rescued by another ladder truck as the water slowly began to recede.

In nominating the three, Chesterfield County Fire Chief Paul Mauger said, "We feel that Lt. Traylor and Firefighters Harrell and Jeffords exhibited extreme skill and heroism. These three individuals worked under very hazardous conditions to directly rescue 12 adults and children and assisted in rescuing another eight people."

For their valiant and selfless acts, Lt. Steven V. Traylor, Firefighter William J. Jeffords and Firefighter Michael C. Harrell are awarded the International Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valor. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

This year marks the 36th anniversary of the valor award, which is customarily presented to an individual firefighter or firefighters for lifesaving efforts above and beyond the call of duty. The award is named for Benjamin Franklin, who was one of the first fire chiefs in the United States.