The eighth annual Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage Awards Celebration honoring northeastern Pennsylvania residents for acts of heroism and commitments to burn education took place in October under an enormous tent at the Lehigh Valley Hospital - Muhlenberg campus.

Bethlehem resident Brian Quier received a Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage Award for rescuing a woman from a burning car on Route 22 this past January. He was driving by and saw the smoking car pulled to the side of the road. By the time he had popped the door open and unstuck the seat belt, flames were erupting from the engine compartment. He led the woman to safety as the car was engulfed in fire.

Quier had some shipboard emergency training from his time in the Navy, but said his actions freeing the woman were "something natural". He continued saying "if you are capable, the natural thing to do is help somebody" adding "it wasn't a big dea."

The Spirit of Courage Awards Celebration was started by the Burn Prevention Network, Valley Preferred and Lehigh Valley Hospital. This year there was record attendance with more than 700 guests.

OTHER HONOREES

Kraig and Dana Hahn, of Pen Argyl, received the Phoenix Award for starting the Luke William Hahn Foundation, which funds counseling and grief support groups and academic programs, to honor their son who died in an explosion that also severely injured Kraig.

Nick Andriola, Lester Wolcott, and Ken Werkheiser, volunteer firefighters from Jackson Township, received the Spirit of Courage Award for freeing a woman trapped in a flaming van.

Jeremy Warmkessel, Allentown firefighter, received the Spirit of Courage Award for rescuing a child from a burning building.

Dustin Grow and Michael Matchette, Allentown firefighters, received the Spirit of Courage Award for rescuing three people from a burning building.

Michael Zeshonski, Nicholas Bonczkiewicz, and Paul Fortuner, volunteer firefighters from Greenfield Township, received the Spirit of Courage Award for rescuing a man from a burning car.

James Markiewicz and Paul Brutto, Jr., firefighters from Mahanoy City, received the Spirit of Courage Award for rescuing three people from a burning building.

Gordon Potratz and William Lather, of Hawley, received the Spirit of Courage Award for pulling a woman from a burning vehicle.

Gregory Long, a retired firefighter of Allentown, received the Partners in Prevention Award for creating and teaching programs to children about fire safety.

Frank Zangari, Chief of the Girardville Fire Department, received the Partners in Prevention Award for being the Carbon County Coordinator for WNEP-TV's Operation Save a Life that has helped distribute and install more than 10,000 smoke alarms.