Photo courtesy of American Broadcasting Companies Inc./CHRIS CHAVIRA BIG MOMENT- Greg Chavez, a Camarillo resident and Ventura County firefighter, won first prize on ABC's reality television show, "American Inventor." Camarillo firefighter Greg Chavez choked back tears of joy as confetti and streamers rained down on him moments after he was named the winner of ABC's reality television show "American Inventor" during Wednesday night's season finale.

"It's amazing," Chavez said on the show's second season finale. "A year ago I was sitting in a chair at the house and I was watching the show with my wife, and I said to her, 'I'm going to win next year,' and she said, 'I know you are.'"

Chavez, a father of six and firefighter with the Ventura County Fire Department, beat out two other contestants- one who invented a strapless brassiere, another who designed custom toy cars and planes- in the final round to win the $1-million prize and claim the title.

The fireman described his invention, the Guardian Angel, as a small, pressurized tank of water disguised as a Christmas present put beneath the tree. A hose runs from the tank to the top of the tree, where it feeds into a decorative angel, which acts as a sprinkler. Triggered by the heat from a fire, the angel extinguishes the fire without the need for a battery. As the water douses the tree, a fire alarm sounds to alert those in the house of the blaze.

Several thousand aspiring inventors tried out for the show. Throughout the season, contestants were eliminated by votes from the panel of judges as well as the show's television audience. The judges included former heavyweight boxing champion and promoter of the top-selling line of grills George Foreman.

Chavez's wife, Rozanne, and family were in the audience during the taping of the show and joined him on the stage to celebrate his win.

"Throughout this whole thing, I've heard my wife's voice," said Chavez, who serves at Fire Station 40 in Moorpark. "She's always reminded me of what can be."

Family and friends watched the pre-taped show together at Toppers Pizza in Camarillo.

During the finale, Chavez was told by Tom Russo, president and CEO of smoke alarm maker First Alert, his company would pay to help develop the Guardian Angel.

"We offer you the opportunity to work with our designers, our engineers and marketing professionals to help take this amazing product to market," Russo said.

Chavez said he'd worked on his invention for nearly 15 years but never had the financial ability to develop it further than a rough prototype.

"It's always been an idea prior to this. Today it's real," Chavez said.

According to the United States Fire Administration, more than 33 million American homes will have a Christmas tree during the holiday season and that fires sparked by dry trees cause 200 fires a year, resulting in six deaths and more than $6 million in property damage.

"I just can't wait until we find out somebody's life was saved because of it," Rozanne Chavez said.