[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15971]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE SHAVERTOWN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDAL OF VALOR 
                               RECIPIENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOU BARLETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 16, 2017

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I honor the 
first responders of the Shavertown Volunteer Fire Department, who are 
being presented with Medals of Valor for their selfless acts to rescue 
Iilou Warmouth earlier this year during a terrible house fire.
  On the night of July 4, 2017, the Shavertown Volunteer Fire 
Department received reports of a massive fire consuming two homes in 
the nearby Dallas Borough. After arriving at the scene, the 
firefighters discovered that Mrs. Warmouth was trapped in one of the 
burning buildings.
  Firefighter Keith Rinehimer found Mrs. Warmouth, selflessly running 
into the flames to save her. During the rescue, his face mask 
malfunctioned, forcing him to inhale smoke, but he continued to push 
on. As he helped carry Mrs. Warmouth through the fire, he was forced to 
remove his gloves to help carry her, receiving severe burns on both 
hands.
  Firefighter Ted Sherrill helped Keith Rinehimer move Mrs. Warmouth 
from the bedroom, through smoke and flames, to the kitchen where they 
were met by Assistant Chief Erik Sowga, Captain David Rinehimer, and 
firefighter John Berti. Together, they decided to exit the building 
through the front door, in order to get Mrs. Warmouth life-saving 
medical attention as quickly as possible, despite the fact that it was 
consumed by fire with temperatures reaching 800 degrees.
  Mrs. Warmouth was taken to the Geisinger Trauma Center immediately 
for treatment, while Keith Rinehimer was treated for burns on both 
hands, as well as smoke inhalation, and all other first responders on 
scene were treated for heat exhaustion. Thankfully, Mrs. Warmouth has 
made a full recovery and all members of the Shavertown Volunteer Fire 
Department have already returned to serving their communities.
  Assistant Chief Erik Sowga, Captain David Rinehimer, and firefighters 
Keith Rinehimer, Ted Sherrill, and John Berti all went above and beyond 
the call of duty that Independence Day. Their selfless and courageous 
acts saved the life of Mrs. Warmouth, and for that they are more than 
deserving of the Medals of Valor they are being presented with.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring these true American heroes of 
the Shavertown Volunteer Fire Department.

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