Riverhead Fire Department Lieutenant Justin Berry was awarded the Gold Medal of Valor last night during the Vocational Education and Extension Board of Suffolk County’s Medal Day ceremony at Riverhead Fire Department headquarters.

Berry was honored for his life-saving actions in a Dec. 30 house fire in Riverhead.

That night, Berry was on the first engine to respond to a call on Doris Avenue. Upon arrival, firefighters learned that an elderly resident was trapped inside the burning home, and Berry quickly entered the structure through a window. Amid the smoke and chaos of the rapidly spreading fire, Berry brought the resident to safety, passing the 77-year-old resident out of a window to other first responders outside.

Although he should have been physically exhausted by his efforts, Berry worked the rest of the fire as well.

Despite extraordinary efforts made at exceptional risk, Berry was nonchalant. “It was a Riverhead save,” he said in an interview the day after the blaze. His humility was consistent while receiving his award; he accepted it graciously.