CHICO, Calif. - At a ceremony at Chico State, 41 groups of first responders and medical workers received medals of valor from the California Emergency Medical Services Authority, including one crew of CAL Fire firefighters who saved a Concow woman.

Director of EMS Dr. Howard Backer said those honored demonstrated, "compassion, dedication, and in some cases, bravery."

The team effort rescue of the woman happened after responders saw that she was with another person.

To reach her, they had the woman raise her arm; however, by the time they managed to get to the woman, her friend was already dead. 

The woman had suffered severe burns. 

Despite her injuries, the team was able to load her into a fire engine to be transported to an ambulance. 

The captain of the team, Abel Ascencio, said the rescue was a major team effort. 

"Today I think many other people should be and other firefighters should be recognized because I was not the only one at the fire," he said. 

The event at the university was sponsored by the hospital council of Northern and Central California, Life-Assist, the California Ambulance Association and the California Paramedic Foundation. 

We are working on getting in contact with the woman who was rescued.