The 54-year-old surveyor credited with saving the life of an elderly woman in a wheelchair by pulling her out of a burning Wilhelmina Rise home in April will be honored by the Fire Department on Nov. 30.

Carl Loando will be awarded the department’s Civilian Medal of Valor at a ceremony at the department’s training center. He was also honored by the Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross.

His partner, Christopher Neuman, also will be recognized with a certificate.

On April 27, Loando and his team of surveyors from ControlPoint Surveying were on their way to a boundary survey when they noticed thick smoke and fire coming from a house owned by Kenneth and Helen Choy at 3953 Koko Drive.

Loando said he saw Kenneth Choy in the carport looking into the home. Choy said he tried to get his wife into her wheelchair but was unsuccessful and told Loando she was still in the hall.

Loando crawled 20 feet through smoke and darkness.

Eventually Loando found Helen Choy, grabbed her and dragged her to the door and down the wheelchair ramp. Loando said he was hampered in his efforts to move the woman because she was still tethered to an oxygen tank.

Loando and Neuman broke the oxygen tubing and carried the woman to the edge of the carport.

Shortly after, there were several explosions inside the house.