A Redondo Union alumnus – turned Los Angeles firefighter is being honored with a prestigious national award for his courage under literal fire.
Bryce Gutierrez, 28, is set to accept the 2017 Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor on Oct. 18 in Nashville, Tenn, according to Firehouse Magazine. Gutierrez, who has been with the Los Angeles Fire Department for five years, is receiving the award for his courageous rescue of four small children from a structure fire at a South Central Los Angeles bungalow in 2017.
He said receiving the award is a huge honor but that it was just another day in the line of duty.
“That’s why we do what we do: to save lives,” Gutierrez said.
A member of LAFD Task Force 33, Gutierrez and his team responded to the call for the Jan. 16, 2017 blaze.
He had to forcibly enter the property through a rear-window after all other points of entry were deemed unsafe.