This year’s Liberty Mutual National Firemark Awards have been presented to three firefighters for display of exemplary acts of valor and for demonstration significant commitment to public health and safety. The recipients are Omar Shareef and Albert Jason Boyd of the Baltimore (Md.) City Fire Department and Bonnie Lopez of the Upton (Mass.) Fire Department.

Shareef and Boyd received the Heroic Award for their actions of this past April when they rescued two young brothers, one of whom later died from his injuries, from a West Baltimore apartment fire. The two firefighters entered the burning unit to attempt the rescue despite the lack of an active water line to protect them. The fire, caused by a pan overheating on the kitchen stove, ultimately gutted the apartment.

Lopez received the Community Service and Public Education Award for her commitment to youth fire safety education. Each year “Firefighter Bonnie,” as she is known in her classes, leads hundreds of elementary and middle school students through fire safety sessions. She is credited with singlehandedly growing the fire education program in Upton.

"These awards recognize the unwavering dedication to educating our children and the selfless acts of courage by this year's Firemark winners, as well as the hard work of firefighters in every small town and large city across America," said Paul Condrin of Liberty Mutual. "We hope that our annual awards will illuminate the importance of fire safety, especially when it comes to protecting children, who are far more vulnerable to fire-related injury and death and need reinforcement from their parents on how to safely escape a home fire."

Each Firemark Award recipient also receives an all-expenses paid trip to Liberty Mutual’s "Where's the Fire?" exhibit at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, and the departments to which the award recipients belong each receive a grant of $10,000.

Introduced in 1986, the Firemark Award recognizes firefighters throughout the country who best represent their communities through their valor and selfless spirit. A committee made up of representatives of several national fire service organizations, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association, the National Association of State Fire Marshals, and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, selected Shareef, Boyd and Lopez from dozens of nominees who were local Liberty Mutual Firemark Award winners over the past year.

To learn more or to nominate a firefighter for a Firemark Award, visit www.befiresmart.com.