A wildland firefighter and medical unit leader trainee on last year’s Beaver Creek Fire near Hailey has been awarded a Citation for Exemplary Action for saving the life of a crew member. “He joins a small and select group within the fire community ever to receive this award,” said John Segar, left, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Fire Management Branch chief.

Larry “Kaili” McCray, right, who works at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise as wildland fire medical standards program manager, was assigned to the fire last August when a fire camp crew member suffered a cardiac arrest. He administered chest compressions, applied an automated external defibrillator or AED, and ordered oxygen, coordinating his efforts with two other staffers at the scene from other agencies. Doctors who later cared for the victim said the moves saved the crew member’s life.

Since 1990, cardiac arrest has been the third-leading cause of wildland firefighter deaths, behind aircraft and vehicle accidents. In 2013, there were nine cardiac cases reported on wildland fires, six of them fatal. The three saves were attributed to the speedy and proper use of AED’s.