Two share medal of valor award

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma City Fire Department's Medal of Valor Award usually goes to one person. But one wasn't enough this time. <br><br>Sgt. Evan Fenton and Cpl. Clayton Arthur shared

Monday, February 18th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma City Fire Department's Medal of Valor Award usually goes to one person. But one wasn't enough this time.

Sgt. Evan Fenton and Cpl. Clayton Arthur shared the 2001 award for their work in getting a woman out of a house fire last summer.

Pamela Blackmon, 48, was on the floor, her leg trapped under a piece of fallen furniture. Thick smoke filled the room from floor to ceiling. The heat inside was intense.

``This wasn't one of those easy fires,'' said Maj. Greg Lindsay of Fire Station 7. ``Not just anyone wearing the gear could go in and do this. It takes some guts, courage.''

The ability to ``stay focused in an extremely hazardous situation'' is the reason Fenton, 31, and Arthur, 24, were honored, Lindsay said.

Lindsay first nominated Fenton for the medal. When he did, Fenton told him, ``I couldn't have done it without Clayton,'' Lindsay said. So Lindsay nominated both firefighters.

When Fenton walked into Blackmon's living room, he was unable to see anything because of smoke. Water from a firefighter's hose was sprayed into the room and caused a rush of steam. Fenton found Blackmon, and Arthur helped him pull the door of an entertainment center piece off of her, and the two dragged her to the front lawn where paramedics took over.

Blackmon, who suffered burns on 75 percent of her body, later died.