Hometown Heroes Honored at Annual Chamber Gala

Baltimore County Fire Department Lt. Scott Ebbert knew that he had the training necessary to help rescue his fellow firefighters, if they ever became trapped during a blaze.

He just hoped he never had to utilize that training.

But that day came on Jan. 19 when he was one of the many firefighters who tried to rescue when he became trapped inside a burning apartment building. While Falkenhan, a Middle River resident, was rescued from the building, he died that night, an evening Ebbert will remain etched in his memory for the rest of his life.

“That was the toughest day of my career,” said Ebbert, a Parkville resident based at the Golden Ring station. “Mark was a friend and you just never think that will happen on the job, even though you know it is always a possibility.”

Ebbert’s actions that night were just one of the many reasons he was honored Thursday night as part of the Chesapeake Gateway Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual “Salute to Hometown Heroes” event at Martin’s Eastwind.

Ebbert was one of 23 people honored at the event, which recognized volunteer and career firefighters, police officers, servicemen and medical personnel in Essex, Middle River, Parkville, Perry Hall, Rosedale and White Marsh.

Baltimore County Fire Department Division Chief John Hart, who presented the awards to the fire department recipients, said being recognized as a hero means more than committing one brave action.

“These honorees are hometown heroes because they perform at extraordinary levels everyday,” Hart said.

is one of those honorees. Lannen, who is based at the Middle River station, was honored for 25 years of service. That service included saving the life of 19-year-old Donald Lee in January.

Lannen, a paramedic who lives in Abingdon, had to put a needle in Lee’s chest to relieve the pressure before loading him into an ambulance and transporting him to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center after he was shot in Aero Acres.

Lee made it to Shock Trauma alive and spent 1 ½ weeks there and an additional three months rehabbing at home before making a full recovery.

“I’m appreciative of the recognition, but it’s embarrassing to be honored just for doing your job,” Lannen said. “The only good feeling I need is knowing I was able to help save someone’s life.”

Other “Hometown Heroes” honored at the event include:

Volunteer Fire and Rescue Companies

• Asst. Capt. Francis Harker—Bowleys Quarters
• Albert Vaughn—vice president, Central Alarmers
• John Peyton (posthumously)—Middleborough
• EMS Lt. Christopher Johnson—Middle River Volunteer Ambulance
• Firefighter James Akehurst Jr.—Middle River Volunteer Fire
• Firefighter Aaron Brockmeyer—Rockaway Beach

Baltimore County Fire Department

• PM/FF Reynold Blubaugh III—Essex Station 7
• EMT/FF Daniel Kile—Fullerton Station 8
• EMT/FF Patrick “Zip” Zoltowski—Parkville Station 10
• EMT/FF Jerry Ertwine—Chase Station 54
• EMT/FF John (Pablo) Cooke—Perry Hall Station 55
• PM/FF Michele Polich—Back River Neck Station 58

Baltimore County Police Department

• Officer Brandon Langley—Parkville Precinct 8
• Officer Joseph Robinson—White Marsh Precinct 9
• Officer Ryan Bodway—Essex Precinct 11

 Maryland Air National Guard

• Capt./Asst. Flight Cmdr. Nicholas Barone

Maryland State Police

• Sr. Trooper Edwin Bowers—Golden Ring Barrack

 Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police

• Officer Ben Lillard

 Franklin Square Hospital

• Christina Hughes, R.N.—Director of health care system preparedness for MedStar Health

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

• Drs. Colleen Christmas, Ginette Hinds and Timothy Wang