Three Carson City citizens were honored with medals of commendation and honor after their heroic efforts saved the lives of at least three Carson City citizens — and possibly, dozens more.
Two young men rescued two individuals from a flaming car on New Year’s Day, and just last month, another man and a mysterious unnamed hero saved the life of a neighbor who was the victim of a gas explosion fire.
Carson City Fire Chief Sean Slamon presented the awards, and said it’s the people willing to help their fellow citizens that make a town into a community.
“What makes this community truly great, I believe, is our citizens. It is our citizens that are always willing to [lend] a hand, who are compassionate, and who are always willing to just say hi and to be a friend. The recognitions we’re going to talk about are people that actually put themselves in harms’ way to help other citizens.”
Chief’s Medal of Commendation
Robert Berger and Lucas O’Brien were each awarded the Chief’s Medal of Commendation, which is awarded to individuals who “render initial, spontaneous, and valuable aid or assistance at an incident in which the Carson City Fire Department and Carson City Sheriff’s Office are responding.”
To qualify, the aid or assistance should “result in a reduced injury or a loss to the party receiving aid.”
Berger and O’Brien were driving on College Parkway on New Year’s Day, 2025, when they came upon a single vehicle accident rollover.
“The vehicle’s engine compartment had already burst into flames, and the two occupants were trapped inside with multiple traumatic injuries,” Slamon said. “Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Berger immediately exited their vehicle and ran to the two trapped victims.”
Without the aid of tools or protective equipment, the two were able to force open the doors of the vehicle and quickly pulled both victims free before the fire spread into the passenger compartment.
The victims were moved to a safe location and O’Brien and Berger called 911.
Upon arrival, fire department crews extinguished the fire and rendered aid to the victims.
Slamon presented the two their medals, and added that O’Brien’s family has a history of service, as both his father and brother are Carson City firefighters, and said he hoped both of the honorees would join their ranks.
Carson City Citizen’s Medal of Honor
Robert Russell was awarded the Carson City Citizens’ medal of Honor, which is the highest award for a civilian, and may be awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by extraordinary bravery and heroism.
On March 1, 2025, a gas explosion led to a fire in an apartment at 20 College Parkway.
The sound of the explosion alerted neighbors, including Russell, who went outside to investigate. He walked to the back of the apartment and found the upstairs window “blown out into the parking lot,” and observed smoke and flames coming from the hole.
Russell then ran back to the front of the apartment complex to grab a fire extinguisher.
“He broke the glass with his fist to get the extinguisher out, then ran back to the apartment and began to attack the fire,” Slamon said.
He entered the apartment and found a victim in the back bedroom, and extinguished the fire within the room before grabbing the victim, who was still on fire.
Another neighbor saw the commotion and ran into the apartment and assisted Russell in carrying the victim out onto the front lawn — however, the second civilian rescue’s identity currently remains unknown.
“Mr. Russell acted beyond the normal call of duty, he placed himself in harm’s way, risked his life to save another and to prevent the fire from spreading and certainly saving countless units, as well as potential lives,” Slamon said.
If anyone knows the second rescuer’s identity, please encourage them to come forward to be honored for their heroic efforts that day.
