POST FALLS - J.D. Putnam described it as "controlled chaos."

That's what it took for emergency responders to awaken and help evacuate residents close to a fire that engulfed one of the buildings during the early morning at the Falls Park Apartments on Sept. 21.

First responders did whatever was necessary - even if it meant breaking down doors with axes - to alert sleeping residents of the danger.

"Everything happened so quickly," said Putnam, a Post Falls police officer. "The cool part for me was working with the other agencies that responded."

No one was injured in the blaze blamed on a cigarette that destroyed three units and damaged nine others in the 24-unit building.

Six members of the police department were honored by Mayor Clay Larkin with a Mayor's Medal and Chief Scot Haug with Life Saving Awards during Tuesday night's City Council meeting for their quick efforts. Recognized were Putnam and fellow officers Pat Eismann and Hope Tucker, Sgt. Pat Leonard, dispatch supervisor Laurie Sutton and dispatcher Amanda Hughes.

"With the work that was provided, I believe that several lives were saved," Leonard wrote to his staff. "This was truly a great show of teamwork and all of you should be very proud of the job each of you did."

Capt. Pat Knight said the ceremony was a proud moment for the department.

"From the moment this call was aired, each of them showed true compassion, professionalism and went above and beyond by running into the burning building and risking their own lives to save others," Knight said. "The dispatchers working the incident were relentless in radio and phone traffic keeping both officers and citizens informed on the incident."

Karen Duke, who lives on the ground level below where the fire occurred, said the police's wake-up call made a difference in her getting out.

"We woke up when we heard police pounding on doors and evacuating people," Karen said.

Tucker said she believes she was simply doing what she was trained to do.

"Part of our job is to be there when people are in need," she said.

Other agencies that responded included Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department, Rathdrum Police, Hauser Fire and Coeur d'Alene Fire.

"I hope it's something we won't have to do again for awhile," Eismann said.