Rescue earns top award for firefighters Bruce Hedrick and Timothy Culpepper

By Shannon Womble, Times-Union Staff Writer
1 Apr 1999, The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL)
City Section, Page B-1

A daring rescue in a burning vacant building in March 1998 earned two Jacksonville firefighters top honors at an awards ceremony last night.

Lt. Bruce B. Hedrick and Engineer Timothy Culpepper [pictured on the right at a fire in Blount Island, FL] were named firefighters of the year at the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue annual awards banquet.

"This really caps off my career," said Hedrick, a 25-year veteran. "It hasn't really set in yet."

That March 25, the firefighters arrived at 717 Clay St. to find smoke billowing from the vacant two-story home partially boarded up from a previous fire. Both firefighters agreed that morning they were more worried about the structural stability of the house than the fire inside.

"You never know if someone has gone in {an abandoned house} and ripped up the floor for firewood," said Hedrick, 46.

The two firefighters quickly rescued a man trapped on the second-floor porch and another man unconscious inside the house.

"I knew we had to get them out fast," said Culpepper, 30. "In a situation like that you figure the worst and just try to get them out so you can start resuscitation. This time it ended for the best."

Both victims recovered from their injuries, said fire officials.

Hedrick and Culpepper also were awarded the bronze medal of bravery for the rescue.

"The day of the fire an engineer that I didn't really know that well came up to me . . . and said we did a good job," Culpepper said. "Being recognized by other firefighters can mean the most to you."

Culpepper Ancestry: Timothy Sean Culpepper (#47416) is the son of Robert Leroy Culpepper.