ORANGE — Four Orange Fire Department members are slated to be honored this month for their actions during a fatal fire last year.

Lts. Phillip Dupell and Jason Rushford, firefighter/paramedic Nino Rodriguez, and Tim Matthews, who is now an acting captain and paramedic, were nominated by their fire chief and selected by a committee to receive accolades at the 35th annual Firefighter of the Year Awards at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Nov. 18.

“[Firefighters] do great things every day, but occasionally there’s acts that stand out,” Fire Chief James Young said.

According to his nomination narrative, the Orange Fire Department was dispatched to a residential structure fire at 99 West River St. at 11:39 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2023. Personnel arrived and found a 2½-story wood-frame residential dwelling with heavy fire visible on the back side and heavy smoke showing from the eaves. A soot-covered occupant suffering from burns and smoke inhalation reported a woman was trapped in a first-floor bedroom because she was unable to walk. The injured occupant stated she dragged the victim off her hospital-style bed onto the floor before being driven from the building by the intense heat and smoke.

After learning this information, Rodriguez immediately ascended the handicap ramp to attempt a rescue. Heavy smoke and fire were venting from the doorway where the injured occupant had made her narrow escape. Rodriguez returned to the fire engine he had driven and began helping establish a water supply from a hydrant approximately 100 feet away. At this time, Rushford, Dupell and Matthews advanced a hose up the handicap ramp to suppress the heavy fire and enter the first floor. Rushford, an emergency medical technician, and Matthews split up in different directions to cover a greater search area, knowing time was of the essence.

Dupell protected the search crew by holding back the fire, which was repeatedly advancing toward them from a hallway in the rear of the building. Matthew located the victim and extricated her with assistance from three other department members. It was determined the woman was suffering from significant burns and smoke inhalation but still attempting to breathe on her own.

Advanced life support measures were initiated and Rodriguez was the lead paramedic transporting the victim to Athol Hospital. This woman, later identified as 65-year-old Debra Marini, was airlifted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where she died of her injuries hours later.

The victim who attempted rescue and removed herself from the house was transported to Athol Hospital by ambulance and airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she remained in the intensive care unit for approximately two weeks. She survived her injuries.

After Rodriguez left with the critical patient, Rushford, Dupell and Matthews remained on scene to assist with suppression efforts. The blaze soon extended to the majority of the structure, requiring withdrawal of all firefighters and a transition to defensive exterior operations. Rodriguez returned to assist with suppression efforts after transporting the victim to the hospital.

“Each member played a significant role in providing the best chance of survival for the victim under intense conditions with very limited resources and staffing during the early stages of the incident,” Young wrote in his narrative.

He said the four honorees were humbled on Oct. 2 to learn they will receive awards.

“A lot of firefighters don’t like to be recognized in this way, or don’t expect to be recognized in this way,” he said. “But I felt in this circumstance it was certainly warranted.”

The four selected firefighters are expected to be joined at the ceremony by their families, some colleagues, the town administrator and at least one Selectboard member.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.