Five California Department of Transportation employees who courageously helped save lives have been presented with the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Award.

For the first time a recipient was presented two medals of valor for heroic acts done only weeks apart.

Caltrans Tree Maintenance Supervisor Michael Quinliven, working in Mendocino County, was presented a Silver Medal of Valor for his efforts to save two shooting victims, regardless of any potential danger to himself.

On July 2, Quinliven was off duty when he came upon what he believed was a traffic collision on the Willits Grade and stopped to help. He in fact discovered a homicide scene, where a father and son had been shot.

Quinliven was also presented the Gold Medal of Valor for his sheer heroism during the Ranch fire less than a month later.

According to the award narrative, at 4 p.m. July 29, Quinliven was working on Highway 20 in Mendocino County when the Ranch fire started to pick up momentum.

The Ranch fire was part of the Mendocino Complex fire, the largest reported fire complex in California history, which burned more than 410,000 acres across Mendocino, Lake, Colusa and Glenn counties.

When he arrived at the scene of the fire, he quickly realized that it had the potential to jump the highway. The smoke was so thick that he drove two miles to contact a California Highway Patrol officer, who called in the fire. Quinliven asked CHP to close the road because he could not see, and the roads were no longer safe.

On his way back into the active fire and as he was cresting the hill, Quinliven saw a large column of smoke and he immediately knew that the fire had jumped the highway and was burning on both sides of the road. He made the decision to remain in the area until the CHP arrived to ensure that all vehicles driving through got out of the fire safely.

As traffic was backed up heading westbound, Quinliven took to the eastbound No. 1 lane with his emergency lights on and drove right into the fire. He guided a tanker truck carrying gasoline out of the flames due to his concern about the possibility of an explosion.

He then found a woman and her three children in their SUV, pulled over in a turn out, trapped by the flames and thick smoke. Quinliven tapped on the woman’s window to offer help, advising her to follow him.

“With near zero visibility, using only the center double yellow lines for guidance, he drove in front of the vehicle and guided them through the smoke and fire to safety,” the award narrative explains.

Once the tanker truck and vehicle were safely out, Quinliven remained in the area to assist law enforcement with evacuating approximately one mile of traffic.

His father, Steve Quinliven, also works for Caltrans as an equipment operator II.

“I was shocked, and amazed, and very proud,” Steve Quinliven said of his son’s actions.

Other awardees included Caltrans Electrician II Broderick Carmichael, who was presented with the Silver Medal of Valor.

Carmichael saved his colleague’s life, when he risked his own life to push her out of the way of an out of control car in Hermosa Beach.

Caltrans Highway Maintenance Worker Benjamin Anderson, Highway Maintenance Leadworker Thomas Britt and Maintenance Supervisor Lonnie Swartout were presented the Silver Medal of Valor for their heroic acts during a very dangerous rescue in extreme cold down steep terrain.

Anderson, Britt and Swartout saved a couple and their puppies after their vehicle went over a snow-covered embankment in Trinity County.