Fire fight.

On November 29, 2002, Lee Geller, 92, was in her second-floor apartment in Millburn, New Jersey, when a fire ignited in the unit below, quickly filling her residence with smoke. Off-duty firefighter Bruce Hornecker, who lives nearby, was alerted about the fire, and he rushed to the burning structure. When he learned that Geller was still inside, he entered the building and climbed through dense smoke to the second floor. He then crawled to the unlocked door of the elderly tenant's apartment. Once inside he called for her, but no answer came. Crawling into the smoke filled kitchen, he brushed against her feet. She was still standing, so he stood, picked her up, and carried her out of the building to safety.

Fearing that somebody might also be trapped on the first floor, Hornecker reentered the building, forced the apartment door open, and crawled inside while calling to whoever might be there. Happily, no one was. Only then, nearly overcome by the stifling smoke, did the firefighter cease his perilous rescue effort.

He and Geller were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Hornecker was also hospitalized overnight for additional treatment. In March, he, too, received a much-deserved Carnegie Medal and accompanying cash award.