CHICAGO – Aug. 14, 2026 – The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and Motorola Solutions today named Fire Captain Lawson C. “Gus” Stuart of Dyess Fire and Emergency Services as the 2026 recipient of the IAFC Ben Franklin Award for Valor. The award recognizes Stuart’s courage and decisive actions during a life-threatening trench rescue at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.
On Feb. 10, 2025, Stuart responded to what dispatchers initially called an emergency medical call for a fall on a runway. Upon arrival, Stuart found a critically injured construction worker trapped at the bottom of an estimated 30-foot trench, crushed beneath a large pipe that had shifted.
With the worker showing signs of respiratory failure and the possibility of the pipe shifting further, Stuart recognized that time was running out. He quickly entered the trench with no shoring support, harness or safety gear – only his station clothes and gloves.
Inside the trench, Stuart directed crews to stabilize the pipe and coordinate the rescue. Relying on more than two decades of fire and paramedic experience, he helped safely bring the worker to the surface and briefed emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to initiate immediate, lifesaving intervention. Thanks to Stuart’s swift thinking and heroic actions, the worker recovered.
“The Ben Franklin Award for Valor recognizes the very best of the fire service. Individuals who, in extraordinary circumstances, put courage, and service to others above themselves,” said Chief Trisha Wolford, president and board chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. “Their actions remind us that valor is not defined by the absence of fear, but by the decision to act when others need us most. It is an honor to recognize this year’s recipients and the exceptional example they set for our profession and the communities we serve.”
“Captain Stuart demonstrated extraordinary courage and an unwavering commitment to saving a life under dangerous conditions,” said Frank Galvin, vice president, Motorola Solutions. “His actions reflect the highest ideals of the fire service, and Motorola Solutions is proud to join the IAFC in honoring his heroism with the Ben Franklin Award for Valor.”
Presented annually by the IAFC and Motorola Solutions at Fire-Rescue International, the IAFC Ben Franklin Award for Valor is the IAFC’s most prestigious award, recognizing the spirit of service, courage and heroism firefighters demonstrate in life-saving situations.
