Lisa Bell, Central Floridian of the Week
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and fire chief Jim Reynolds recently presented the first "Commendation for Courage" award to five firefighters.
Those firefighters pulled 7 people from a burning building last month and they are News 13's Central Floridians of the Week.
On Sept. 1, the firefighters rescued a mother and her four children, who were trapped in a bathroom in their second floor unit at the Grove Apartments on South Conway Road.
The firefighters also rescued two other people who were unable to escape the flames.
The fire was started by a resident on oxygen, who was smoking a cigarette.
"When Engine 11 arrived on the scene, they were met with chaos -- heavy smoke and fire conditions, reports of people trapped in burning apartments, residents trying to evacuate. But despite that, Orlando firefighters and our communicators performed as they were trained -- with excellence, professionalism and compassion. Critical decisions, teamwork and determination resulted in the saving of seven Orlando residents that day," Reynolds said during the ceremony.
The mother of the four rescued children personally thanked the firefighters when they were honored by the city.