Families, friends and colleagues came to Fireman’s Hall Museum on Tuesday, October 7, to celebrate with three PFD members who exemplify dedication and service.
Firefighter Matthew McCrory is the Firefighter of the Year. The 18-year veteran of the PFD was chosen for showing exceptional bravery in two separate incidents in West Philly in August and September of 2024. In the first, FF McCrory forced his way into a burning home and found someone unconscious in the kitchen. In the second house, despite heavy fire being reported on the second floor, FF McCrory ran upstairs to rescue someone unconscious in a bedroom. Both times, he quickly got the occupants outside to safety where they could receive skilled EMS care from our providers.
McCrory thanked his family members for attending the ceremony — and then thanked his “other family”: the members of Engine 5 / Ladder 6 / Medic 60 / Battalion 11 in West Philly. “Absolutely nothing in the fire service is achieved alone,” he said, expressing deep gratitude to his peers for their support.
Paramedic Zachary Weinstein and Firefighter/EMT Mitchell Valentin were first recognized as the Providers of the Year during EMS Week in May but were presented with awards at this ceremony. They had responded last year to a vehicle collision when bullets started flying. They started to leave the scene and get to safety when they heard someone screaming that he’d been hit. The medics sprang into action to remove that person from the dangerous situation so they could provide treatment and take him to a hospital.
“It was a scary night,” said Valentin, who has been a member of the department for a decade. He described how he heard gunfire, followed by someone screaming for help — so he and Weinstein put themselves at risk in order to provide critical care. “If not us, who? That’s why I do it. … [And] I’ll continue to do it until I can’t. … I’m happy to be part of this team.”
Weinstein, who has been on the job for seven years, added: “I couldn’t have done it without my team.”
Managing Director Adam Thiel, Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson, and PFD Historical Corporation President Gene Janda spoke at the ceremony honoring them. The Historical Corporation sponsors these awards. A proclamation was also read at the ceremony, officially recognizing October 5 – 11, 2025, as Fire Prevention Week in Philadelphia.
