Warren officer's Carnegie Medal delivered to his home

Staff report

WARREN

Doug Hipple, the Warren police officer who was badly injured when he entered a burning house on Bonnie Brae Avenue Northeast April 28, 2009, to rescue three women, received his Carnegie Medal on Tuesday at his home.

Walter Rutkowski, executive director of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, said Hipple’s medal was hand delivered because Hipple’s home is not a long distance from Pittsburgh, where the commission has its offices.

Hipple was awarded the medal and $5,000 in September for what he did to save the women. Hipple and all three women were overcome by smoke in the upstairs part of the house and were later rescued by Warren firefighters. One of the women, Melissa S. Watson, later died from her injuries.

Hipple has returned to work.

The Carnegie Medal is a bronze medallion three inches in diameter. One side contains Hipple’s name and the date of his heroic deed, Rutkowski said.

Andrew Carnegie’s profile dominates the other side of the medal. Metallic content of the bronze used is: copper, 85 percent; zinc, tin and lead, 5 percent each.