Firefighter Dennis Edwards is inducted into the Hall of Fame for his part in the rescues of Susan Wicklund and her children, Timothy, 7, Robert, 4, and Daniel, 3.

On December 12, 1975, the Superior Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire.  Neighbors attempted to rescue the family, but were pushed back by the smoke and heat.  Firefighter Edwards was on Engine 2, which was the first fire engine on scene, and made initial attack and rescues.

As Engine 2 members, Captain Aker and Firefighter Johnson attacked the fire and searched for family members downstairs, Firefighter Edwards saw Mrs. Wicklund in an upstairs window.  He laddered the building to rescue her.  Arriving at the window, he found Mrs. Wicklund had collapsed from the smoke and heat.  He also discovered she had a child in each arm.  Firefighter Edwards separated the children from Mrs. Wicklund and carried her down the ladder.  Firefighter Edwards then went back up the ladder, and on two more trips, rescued the two children.

It had been discovered that there should be a third child, so Firefighter Edwards made a fourth trip up the ladder and found Captain Kildahl making a search of the room.  Firefighter Edwards saw another little figure in the room and directed Captain Kildahl to it.  This was the third child!  Captain Kildahl brought the boy over to Firefighter Edwards, who carried him down the ladder to safety.

All four members of the family were unconscious.  On scene firefighters and Douglas County Ambulance personnel gave artificial respiration to the family.  The Wicklunds were transported to Miller Dwan Hospital, where they were all treated for severe burns and smoke inhalation, but all survived this terrible ordeal.