Officers Greta Forbes, Vinny Schettino and Kevin Golden all
received the Richard F. Halloran Award for Bravery, a Boston
Police Department Medal of Honor, for their actions during a
house fire on Maverick Street.
It takes a special person to run into a burning building while everyone else is running out. But that’s exactly what two East Boston officers from District 7 and a third officer from Eastie did on a frigid night back on March 7, 2013.
On Sunday, Officers Greta Forbes, Kevin Golden and Vinny Schettino received the Richard F. Halloran Award for Bravery, a Boston Police Department Medal of Honor, for their actions during a house fire on Maverick Street.
The fire occurred at 9 p.m. on March 7 at 170 Maverick St. An elderly woman was apparently smoking while wearing an oxygen tank. She ignited herself and her apartment.
While the fire was contained to one apartment, dense toxic smoke and fumes quickly filled the apartment building.
Forbes, Golden and Schettino arrived at the scene immediately after the 911 call was made and rushed into the burning building to help evacuate the severely burned woman and then assisted firefighters in evacuating more than 45 residents, including woman and children, from the building.
The woman later died from severe burns but Forbes, Golen and Schettino were able to save other residents from being injured.
“Police officers are heroes everyday,” said District 7 Captain Kelly McCormick. “Those guys just went the extra mile. They did a fantastic job and we are proud of them and happy to honor them. This was a serious situation with serious fire hazards including dense smoke and oxygen tanks being present. No one told them to rush into the building they did it on their own. They responded and were able to save lives.