On May 11 James Martin, a Santa Clarita resident and a 30-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, was dispatched to the scene of a potential jumper in Sherman Oaks with his fellow LAFD Engineer Kameron Carlis.
When Martin and Carlis arrived they found a woman 300 feet in the air, sitting on the parapet of the 22-story City National Bank building in Sherman Oaks.
The two firefighters moved to the roof of the building, where they approached the woman and attempted to calm her with the assistance of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Using his own instincts and skills, Martin presented himself in a nonthreatening way and distracted the woman enough to allow Carlis to embrace the woman and pull her back to safety.
Their lifesaving efforts as well as their heroism in the line of duty did not go unnoticed by the LAFD.
On Nov. 2, the two fire engineers each received a special commendation at the LAFD Foundation Valor Awards.
The department’s highest honor, the annual Valor Awards recognize the heroism of 12 Los Angeles City Firefighters and Paramedics.
This year, Mayor Eric Garcetti and Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas presented the awards to the honorees, including Martin, and shared their stories of bravery, courage and commitment to the city.
