Ottawa firefighters Nick Allegretti, Cameron Lair honored for heroic efforts during January fire

The Ottawa Fire Department was called to a fire at 5:55 p.m. Jan. 19 in the 700 block of Mulberry Street, where firefighters Nick Allegretti and Cameron Lair saved the life of a resident inside.

“It’s just the thing you do when that’s your job,” Lair said.

Lair and Allegretti were honored Tuesday by the Ottawa City Council with a Medal of Gallantry in front of their fellow firefighters, friends and family.

“Working together as a team, their actions on the evening of Jan. 19, 2022, clearly illustrate their professionalism and commitment to the citizens of Ottawa,” said Commissioner James Less.

Firefighters from Ottawa, Wallace, Naplate and Marseilles assisted in the response. Firefighters appeared on scene that night to find a light haze near the home before finding an active fire in the southeast corner of the living room by the front door.

After extinguishing the fire, Allegretti said they realized there may be an older person in the house somewhere. That sent them on a search until they found the resident unresponsive in the kitchen, about 10 feet from the home’s exit and removed them from the house to safety.

The victim, who was found and treated, was the lone person in the home

Lair and Allegretti agreed the events on Jan. 19 didn’t set in until a couple of days after they saved a life.

“Until then, you’re really just running off of your adrenaline and your training,” Lair said. “It’s something that I don’t want to get, you know? I’m glad everything turned out the way it did.”