[Update The nine Brookline Firefighters were honored with a group Meritorious Conduct award. Below the fold, a press release issued following the ceremony. Dec. 2]

Nine Brookline firefighters were among those honored at the 22nd annual Firefighter of the Year ceremony, which took place in Worcester yesterday. The men and women of Brookline's fire department were honored for their actions at 405 Washington Street, in which they rescued a woman from a ground floor apartment. 

The nine honored: Lt. Kyle McEachern, Lt. Paul Trahon, Firefighter Christine Hagerty, Firefighter Patricia Cripe, Firefighter Marcus Paes, Firefighter Philip Buckley, Firefighter Frederick Johnston, Firefighter Craig Campgna and Firefighter Paul Dubrow.

Lt. McEachern was also promoted to Fire Captain at a Selectmen's meeting earlier in the week, effective Dec. 12. 

Also honored at the ceremony, Medal of Honor recipients Michael Bird and David Walstrom, firefighters from Wareham, as well as emergency response crews from around the Commonwealth who responded to tornadoes, hurricanes and freak snow storms earlier this year. 

The following is a press release from the Governor's office (added Dec 2): 

Governor Deval L. Patrick today joined Public Safety Secretary Mary Elizabeth Heffernan and State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan to honor firefighters from 32 Massachusetts communities for heroicacts of bravery during the 22nd annual “Firefighter of the Year” Awards ceremony. The ceremony was held at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester.

“On behalf of the Commonwealth, I want to thank our firefighters and their families for their sacrifices and support,” said Governor Patrick. “These individuals deserve our recognition every day for their leadership, bravery, courage and selflessness in the face of danger.”

"We value the hard work of all firefighters who serve our Commonwealth," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. "Today's award ceremony is an opportunity to honor the heroic men and women who go above and beyond the call of duty to protect our communities."

“It is important that the stories of the firefighters being honored here are told because their acts of bravery rise above the everyday heroics of the firefighting profession,” said Secretary Heffernan.

Governor Patrick and Secretary Heffernan presented 46 awards: one Norman Knight Award for Excellence in Community Service, which was awarded to a Bourne firefighter; 19 Individual Awards for Meritorious Conduct to firefighters from Braintree, Brockton, Wareham, Newton, Williamstown, Worcester and Watertown; six Group Awards 

22nd Annual “Firefighter of the Year” Awards for Meritorious Conduct to teams of firefighters from Brookline, Lynn, Middleton, Northbridge, Somerville and Stow; two Excellence in Leadership Awards to groups offirefighters from Norfolk and Saugus; 13 Medals of Valor to individual firefighters fromLowell, Somerville, West Bridgewater, Lynn and Middleton; and five Medals of Honor toindividual firefighters from Rehoboth, Wareham, Salisbury and Pittsfield.

State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan presented 12 Fire Marshal’s Awards: one wasawarded to V. Carlisle Smith, who was a member of the Board of Fire PreventionRegulations for over 55 years; nine were presented to tornado response teams from Agawam, Brimfield, Monson, Southbridge, Springfield, Sturbridge, Westfield, West Springfield and Wilbraham; and two were awarded to tornado recovery communityservice teams from Norfolk and Chelmsford.

“This past year the Commonwealth experienced several extreme natural disasters,” said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan. “Each and every time our firefighters heroically stepped to the plate to rescue and protect their neighbors often while their own homesand families were affected.”

V. Carlisle Smith has been a member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Board of Fire Prevention Regulations, which makes the state’s fire code, for over 55 years. Smith’s hard work has directly improved the safety of all residents of the Commonwealth from the threat of fire and explosion.