8 Youngstown firefighters get lifesaving awards at annual dinner tonight

YOUNGSTOWN

Even for a job like firefighting, this was unusual — they don’t do many rope rescues in Youngstown.

Early on the morning of July 7, however, Youngstown Fire Capt. Charlie Smith found himself lowering his way down a steep hill by rope to a man and woman in their 20s to check on their injuries and figure out the best way to get them off the hillside.

They had tried to take a shortcut around 2:30 a.m. through the woods on the East Side near Wilson Avenue, Smith said.

Police officers had found them.

When Smith reached the couple, he discovered a situation that complicated matters even more.

The woman was hanging over the edge of what was later determined to be an 80-foot cliff, holding on to a tree root with one hand.

Smith, who will be promoted to battalion chief in June, is one of eight Youngstown firefighters who are 2014 Lifesaving Award recipients.

Twenty-six firefighters received Crew Awards.

They were honored at the Youngstown Professional Firefighters I.A.F.F. Local 312 28th Annual Retirement and Awards Dinner Friday evening at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Parish Hall, with plenty of family and friends present to applaud them.

Read more about the event and the recipients in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.