City gives award to 7 civilian heroes
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
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On Aug. 25, 2004, 13-year-old Andrew Kim found his brother, Nolan, floating in the family swimming pool and without hesitation rescued him from the water. By then, the 3-year-old Nolan had turned white and was no longer breathing.
Andrew screamed for his mother, Elena, who had completed a Red Cross CPR class only days before. As Andrew's dad, Thomas, hurriedly dialed 911, Elena began CPR on Nolan until emergency personnel arrived moments later.
Today, Nolan is alive and well and taking swimming lessons.
Yesterday, Andrew, now 14, was one of seven heroes to receive a bronze Civilian Medal of Valor, the city's highest civilian honor, from Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and city Fire Chief Attilio Leonardi.
It was all part of an HFD awareness day at city hall that focused on heroes and fire prevention.
Also honored were:
"Three people drowned at Portlock early this year," said Assistant Fire Chief John Clark in presenting Sigouin to the mayor and chief. "Peter prevented a fourth death."
Leonardi, who said his department was honored to present the medals — only six of which had been presented before — told the recipients that it's one thing for trained firefighters to risk their lives to save another person's life.
But for untrained citizens to risk everything to save another is awesome, he said.
"We're not telling you to go out and risk your life every time there's an opportunity to do so," Leonardi told the heroes, each of which received a one-time $500 scholarship in addition to a medal.
"Things happen, you react, and ... a lot of you saved a life.
"You just can't measure that."
The medals presentation followed a declaration of Oct. 9-15 as Fire Prevention Week, designed to educate the public about how to keep fires from starting.
Leonardi said in the past five years on O'ahu there have been 91 structural fires totalling $1.5 million in damage — all caused by candles.
Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.
