Bayonne, N.J. Fire Captain Jack Dunne and Firefighter Michael Daly, and Las Vegas Public Information Officer Tim Szymanski won the 2009 Liberty Mutual National Firemark Award for their round-the-clock dedication.

While off-duty, these three performed brave rescues and provided invaluable fire safety education in their communities. Liberty Mutual will award the Bayonne and Las Vegas Fire Departments each with a $10,000 grant.

What seemed like a peaceful day off for Dunne and Daly turned into a heroic rescue, when they discovered a mother and two children trapped in a house fire near Daly’s front yard. Both men raced to scene and found the victims trapped in the home’s attic much higher than their ladder could reach. Balancing himself on the ladder’s top rung, with Daly directly below to provide support, Dunne successfully retrieved all three victims from the attic window.

Szymanski teaches numerous fire-prevention classes; placed 15,000 free smoke alarms in local homes; and created the Citizens Fire Academy, which has inspired graduates to become firefighters, volunteer for the Red Cross, and launch fire-safety campaigns in their own neighborhoods.

“This year’s Liberty Mutual National Firemark Awards recognize the countless hours put in by firefighters who make us safe, even on their own personal time,” said Greg Gordon, senior vice president of marketing at Liberty Mutual. “Whether saving victims from three-alarm house fires or putting out fires before they start through educational community programs, these three men are heroes, and their selfless deeds are to be celebrated.”

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