DANBURY -- Sometimes, it's not necessary to be brave or heroic when faced with an emergency. Sometimes, it's just enough to keep a cool head.

The Danbury Fire Department on Sunday honored firefighters and civilians who went above and beyond the call of duty over the past year, saving the lives of people who fell through the ice, were injured in traffic accidents, nearly drowned in swimming pools or suffered heart attacks.

But one of the biggest rounds of applause from those who attended at the annual awards ceremony went to an 11-year-old girl who didn't panic last June 19 when her grandmother fell down the stairs.

Sydney Knight, who attends Rogers Park Middle School, was upstairs watching television at her Benson Drive home when she heard a loud noise and ran to see what had happened, Fire Chief Geoffrey Herald said.

She discovered 71-year-old Mary Lucille McCurdy had slipped on a rug and couldn't get up.

Sydney, who was the only other person home at the time, tried to help her grandmother, but couldn't.

"She didn't want me to call 911, but I couldn't get her up," Sydney said.

She dialed the emergency number, and by the time Engine 26 arrived, Sydney had collected McCurdy's medications and insurance forms so they would be ready when her grandmother arrived at the hospital. She also called her mother at work to tell her what happened.

Responding firefighters described Sydney as "acting in an efficient, calm and mature

manner," Herald said, noting that McCurdy was present at Sunday's ceremony.

"Sydney, you and your family should be proud of your composure in a time of an emergency," Herald said.

Fourteen other civilians and more than two dozen firefighters also were honored during a ceremony that officials said was one off the biggest and best-attended in years.

"Today is a special day in the Danbury Fire Department," said firefighters' union President Lou DeMici. "I don't have to tell you what we do is dangerous, but we love what we do."

A January ice rescue on Candlewood Lake was the incident that resulted in the most total honorees, four civilians, two of them volunteer firefighters from Germantown, and 11 members of the paid department who earned unit citations.

A rollover accident on Interstate 84 in May resulted in unit citations for 10 firefighters. In that incident, the victim had been partially ejected and was trapped in the overturned vehicle.

Firefighters accomplished the difficult extrication without causing further injury to the victim, Herald said.

Contact John Pirro

at jpirro@newstimes.com

or 203-731-3342.

Honoring heroes Civilian awards Rory Ahearn, TJ Sweeney, Paul Williams and Brad Michalek, Jan. 11 ice rescue on Candlewood Lake; Doug Murphy, Dan Serra, Jessica McLaughlin and Melanie Ivey, CPR to cardiac arrest victim at the War Memorial on Jan. 20; Ron Snekenberg, actions during a house fire on Candlelight Drive on Jan. 23; Stephanie Huber, Catherine Carr, Josh Alphonso and Ross Sommo, rescue at YMCA pool on May 11; Keith Shafto, medical actions during an auto accident at War Memorial on June 14; Sidney Knight, medical assistance to fall victim on Benson Drive on June 19. Department awards Rotary Club Firefighter of Year, Rich Gallagher Exchange Club Firefighter of Year, Lt. Chip Daly Education Award, Firefighter Justin Bierbower Unit citations: Lt. Joseph Halas, firefighters Sean McGowan and Seth Amaruso, Lt. Jamie Schiller, firefighters Al Bertrand, and Ken Monteavaro, truck Capt. Gary Arconti, firefighters Lou DeMici, Greg Korotash and Justin Bierbower, ice rescue on Candlewood Lake on Jan. 11 Unit citations: Assistant Chief Bob Keenan, Lt. Shaun McQuade, Lt. Eric Handau, Lt. John Gillotti, Firefighters John Whitehead, DJ Brown, John Halas, Nick Cabral, Al Bertrand and Kyle Houser, accident extrication on I-84 on May 16: Unit citations: Assistant Chief Steve Williams, Lt. Mark Miguel, Lt. Dave Kirkwood, firefighters James Coswell, Jamie Gagliardo, Scott Newton and Nate Chapin, extrication from accident on Southern Boulevard on May 31 EMS award, Lt. Mark Miguel, firefighters James Croswell and Jamie Gagliardo, actions during cardiac arrest incident at War Memorial on Jan. 20 Award of merit, firefighter John Halas, CPR to cardiac arrest victim in New York City on Jan. 17.