Fairfax County First Responders Honored for Rescue Work After Nepal Earthquake

PHOTO: Firefighter Paramedic Matthew Prasch, Fire Captain Daniel McKeen, Fire Captain Gerald Gonzales, Technician Ryland Chapman, Lieutenant Larry Mullins, Lieutenant Bobby Garza, and Fire Chief Richard Bowers. Photo courtesy of Fairfax County/USAID-OFDA

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FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Members of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department are being honored for their work while deployed with USAID’s Disaster Assistance Response Team during the 2015 Nepal earthquake, according to USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.

A 7.3 earthquake struck the area, killing more than 8,000, according to reports.

Three members of Fairfax County’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, as well as three members with the Los Angeles County USAR team, have been awarded the prestigious Ben Franklin Award for Valor from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).

Named after the nation’s first fire chief, Benjamin Franklin, this is the highest honor bestowed by IAFC. This is also the first time the award is being given for an international mission.

The first responders are being recognized for their lifesaving work in the remote village of Singati, where they executed a search and rescue operation in a building that had collapsed as a result of the earthquake.

Despite dangerous conditions – including repeated aftershocks – the team was able to save the life of a 41-year-old woman, then stayed through the night to provide essential medical care to the woman and 11 other people injured by the aftershocks, according to USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.

The honorees include:

• USA-1, Fairfax County (Va.) team members Lieutenant Robert Garza, Lieutenant Lawrence Mullin, and Technician Ryland Chapman.
• USA-2, Los Angeles County (Ca.) team members Captain Gerald Gonzales, Firefighter Daniel McKeen, and Firefighter-Paramedic Matthew Prasch.

Photo credit: Group photo including Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department members from awards ceremony/courtesy of USAID/OFDA