CLEARLAKE, Calif. — A Clearlake resident whose quick and heroic actions are credited with saving a mother and child from an early morning house fire in August has become the first recipient of a new honor from Lake County’s fire chiefs.

On Wednesday afternoon, during the Lake County Fire Protection District’s regular board meeting, Chief Willie Sapeta presented the new Fire Chiefs Challenge Medal to Robert Lombardi.

Sapeta said he was excited to be able to present the medal to Lombardi, a 33-year resident of the city who works as an assistant manager at Foods, Etc.

Lombardi was on his porch in the 3200 block of 13th Street at around 1 a.m. Aug. 29 when he said he heard an explosion at a nearby home.

He ran to that neighboring home, which was burning, and heard screaming from inside of it.

Lombardi went into the home’s backyard, where active fire was venting through the back door.

It was then that he saw a woman and her young daughter, still in the house.

Lombardi helped bring them out of the house, and then took them to his own home, where he cared for the injured pair until firefighters and emergency personnel arrived.

Sapeta told Lake County News that the fire involved two homes, with downed power lines and strong winds hitting the area.

“It was kind of the perfect storm,” he said.

Lake County Fire was joined in fighting the fire by a full wildland dispatch of Cal Fire engines.

Both the mother and her 9-year-old daughter were flown out of the county for treatment of their injuries. Another individual also was injured and transported to the hospital.

Sapeta said that it was a year ago that the fire chiefs began developing the challenge medal.

The colorful medal is larger than most, which Sapeta said was necessary in order for it to clearly show the details of the patches of all five Lake County fire districts: Kelseyville Fire, Lake County Fire, Lakeport Fire, Northshore Fire and South Lake County Fire.

He said each fire district has 20 of the medals to give to individuals in special recognition.

The rule is that potential recipients have to be vetted, with the chiefs needing to agree on them, Sapeta said.

Sapeta said he sent out an email to his fellow chiefs recommending Lombardi for the award.

Within 10 minutes, Sapeta said all of the chiefs had responded with unanimous support.

Before Sapeta presented the medal to Lombardi at Wednesday’s meeting, Fire District Board Vice Chair Diane Watson read a proclamation detailing Lombardi’s courageous actions as board members Mary Benson, Michael Dean, Richard Moore, Craig Scovel and Jacqueline Snyder looked on. Chair Denise Loustalot was absent.

Watson, who served as a volunteer EMT with the district for more than 13 years, put a hand on Lombardi’s shoulder as she read the proclamation’s account of the early morning fire.

The proclamation ended by honoring Lombardi’s bravery and heroism “with sincere appreciation.”

After receiving the proclamation and the medal, Lombardi offered his thanks to the district, and recognized the heroism of the firefighters in their work to keep the community safe.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.