On September 29, 2015, Tower Company 23 was 
dispatched to a report of a structure fire in a four-plex located at 355 S. Eliot Street. Tower 23, the first company on scene, found smoke issuing from one of the apartments. Without the protection of a hose line, Firefighter Demetrius Granado and another member of Tower 23 forced entry into the apartment and began searching for any occupants. Working in high heat conditions with zero visibility, Firefighter Granado located a 4-year-old under a box in a bedroom. Firefighter Granado brought the child, who was not breathing, outside where the victim was handed off to a member of Engine 12 and then to Denver Paramedics. Due to Firefighter Granado’s quick actions under very adverse conditions, the child survived and, subsequently, a second child was successfully found and rescued by another member.
On September 27, 2011, just over four years prior, Firefighter Granado was instrumental in saving the lives of three victims from a house fire one block away. Firefighter Granado is a 21-year veteran of the Denver Fire Department, having served 20 of those years at Fire Station 23. He has received numerous awards during his tenure, including Life Saving, EMS Excellence, and Individual and Unit Citations. Living in Denver and married to Deanna, they have three children: Demetrius Jr., Devin, and Destin. The youngest, Destin, age 7, was born with autism, which has brought meaningful challenges to both Deanna and Demetrius.
Congratulations!