Those chosen for recognition receive the Carnegie Medal and become eligible for scholarship aid and other benefits. [7], On 21 September 1908, Andrew Carnegie expanded the concept with the establishment of the British Carnegie Hero Fund Trust, based in Dunfermline, Scotland.[8]. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, also known as Carnegie Hero Fund, was established to recognize persons who perform extraordinary acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada, and to provide financial assistance for those disabled and the dependents of those killed saving or attempting to save others. ", This page was last edited on 13 November 2020, at 13:51. The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. The fund was inspired by Selwyn M. Taylor and Daniel A. Lyle, who gave their lives in rescue attempts following the Harwick Mine disaster in Harwick, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh, on January 25, 1904. [3] As of December 2018, a total of 10,062 Carnegie Medals have been awarded since the Fund was established, with the Fund paying $40.5 million in grants, scholarships, death benefits, and other aid. Power of One Archive: Hero Fund Awards 10,000th Carnegie Medal. Pages in category "Recipients of the Carnegie Medal (Carnegie Hero Fund)" The following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total. This list may not reflect recent changes ( learn more ). These newly minted Carnegie heroes also receive a financial reward from the Commission, which was established in 1904 by Andrew Carnegie to honor acts of heroism outside the norms of official duty. SC000729", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carnegie_Hero_Fund&oldid=988485680, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "The rescuer must be a civilian who knowingly and voluntarily risks his or her own life to an extraordinary degree. [6], The three inch (7.13 cm) in diameter bronze medals which are given to awardees, are struck by Simons Brothers Co. of Philadelphia and consist of 90% copper and 10% zinc.[7]. Impulse Archives; Impulse Index; Press Releases; Media Coverage; Resources. Members of the armed services and children considered by the Commission too young to comprehend the risk involved are ineligible for consideration. But each year, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission gives medals, scholarships, medical expenses, if required, and a reward of about $5,000 to an average of 88 people in the United States and Canada. The Fund is administered by a 21-member volunteer board and a small staff. Those who have received the highest honor for civilian heroism. © 2020 Carnegie Hero Fund Commission®. The disaster claimed 181, including Taylor and Lyle, who were killed during rescue attempts. The Carnegie Hero Fund is always accepting nominations of civilian heroes who saved or attempted to save a person in peril. The last silver medal was issued in 1981. [4] About 11% of nominees received the Carnegie Medal.[5]. All rights reserved. PITTSBURGH—Eighteen individuals will receive a Carnegie Medal – the highest honor for civilian heroism in the U.S. and Canada – for risking their lives while trying to save others from drowning, burning vehicles, or burning homes. A 36- year-old engineer who died after saving a man from a gas-filled manhole was among 18 people in the United States and Canada who were awarded the Carnegie Medal for heroism today. ", "The act of heroism must have occurred in the United States, Canada, or the, "The act must be brought to the attention of the Commission within two years of the date of its occurrence. Three of those heroes who died during their courageous acts will receive the honor posthumously – Melissa Anne Lehew, David S. … The Carnegie Medal; Commission and Staff; Financials; News. A Century of Heroes; Power of One Archive: Hero Fund Awards 10,000th Carnegie Medal. Greatly touched by Taylor's and Lyle's sacrifice, Carnegie had medals privately minted for their families, and within two months he wrote the Hero Fund's governing "Deed of Trust",[2] which was adopted by the newly created commission on April 15, 1904. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission (or Medaille van het Carnegie Heldenfonds in Dutch), also known as Carnegie Hero Fund, was established to recognize persons who perform extraordinary acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada, and to provide financial assistance for those disabled and the dependents of those killed saving or attempting to save others. ", "The rescuer must have rescued or attempted the rescue of another person. Within the next three years, the British trust was followed by equivalent foundations in nine other European countries: Recognize persons who perform extraordinary acts of heroism in civilian life, This article is about U.S. Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. ", "The act of rescue must be one in which no full measure of responsibility exists between the rescuer and the rescued, which precludes those whose vocational duties require them to perform such acts, unless the rescues are clearly beyond the line of duty; and members of the immediate family, except in cases of outstanding heroism where the rescuer loses his or her life or is severely injured. The Carnegie Hero Fund awards the Carnegie Medal to individuals in the United States and Canada who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others.