TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — A Treasure Island firefighter was awarded the department's highest honor.
Travis DeBerry received the Medal of Valor for his heroic actions in Southwest Florida. DeBerry headed south right after Hurricane Ian hit to help with rescue efforts.
He was one of several Treasure Island firefighters who went to Southwest Florida to perform rescue missions.
"We were doing welfare checks in neighborhoods," DeBerry explained. "Driving door to door, making sure everyone was OK."
At one home, his help was desperately needed by a 70-year-old woman who was trapped in the floodwaters.
"We thought she was just stuck, but she was trying to get out and she was sinking deeper," DeBerry recalled.
Thankfully, DeBerry was able to pull her out and get her inside her house safely.
"We were at the right place at the right time and I was just fortunate I could be there," he added.
DeBerry said his missions concentrated in the Arcadia area.
There is one family he won’t forget helping.
"There was a family whose autistic son lost his bike," DeBerry said.
DeBerry said a dad lost his job because the restaurant he worked in was destroyed in the hurricane. Unfortunately, the family didn't have the means to replace their son's bike.
That's when DeBerry and his team put their money together to get the boy a new bike.
"You get to see people on the worst of times and you get to be a friendly face," DeBerry said.
For these efforts, DeBerry was awarded that Medal of Valor. The Treasure Island fire chief said he is so proud of all workers who went down, but especially DeBerry.
"What makes is more remarkable is Travis who has only been on the job about three weeks made a rescue," Fire Chief Trip Barrs said.
A total of three members of the department went down to Southwest Florida. All were awarded by the department for their hard work.
Chief Barrs awarded Deputy Chief Tom Brennan, Firefighter Sawyer Keller and Firefighter Travis DeBerry the Exemplary Fire Performance Award for exemplary performance.
One Treasure Island Fire Rescue Firefighter, Joshua Torres, is currently in Pine Island helping with recovery efforts.