“Your Fire Department really believes in what they do,” Chief Harold Scoggins said. “They believe in service to the community.”
The annual luncheon is held to commend residents and firefighters for showing bravery under intense situations and for helping the city.
Adeh and Martinez received the department’s Fire Chief Commendation Award.
Adeh’s mother, Aida Markarian, said her son called her immediately after the incident.
“He said, ‘Mom, I just saved someone’s life,’” she said.
For Adeh, being among firefighters at the luncheon was a dream come true.
“Looking at all of these firefighters, I wish I’ll be in their shoes one day,” he said.
Fire Engineer Steven Haleen found his calling 22 years ago at the department. Before becoming a firefighter, he was working at a construction site, and he heard about the department from a friend.
“I thought it was an interesting job,” he said.
The longtime Glendale resident’s hard work and dedication to the department was honored at the luncheon, where he received the Distinguished Service Award for his work as a CPR instructor and on the Urban Search and Rescue team, for building homes in Mississippi for families who lost their houses in Hurricane Katrina, and for helping develop the department’s new regional training site.
“It’s good to be appreciated by those you work with,” he said.
Adeh graduated from Hoover High, where he attended a public safety academy and taught by Red Cross employees how to perform CPR.
He is now attending Glendale Community College and became a fire explorer cadet.
