Updated to recognize Lt. Keith Chapman as the Career Fire Officer of the Year and FF Travis Litchfield as the Career Firefighter of the Year.
Escambia County Fire Rescue hosted the 2024 ECFR Awards Ceremony at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church on Saturday, June 8. Emceed by Cat County 98.7's Brent Lane, several medals, citations and certificates were distributed to several firefighters, along with the recognition of individual promotions.
Career Fire Officer of the Year
Volunteer Fire Officer of the Year
Career Firefighter of the Year
Volunteer Firefighter of the Year
Lieutenant Terrell Jackson Award
District Chief Dwain Bradshaw Award
Medal of Courage
Promotions
The following individual was promoted to Fire Chief:
The following individual was promoted to Recruitment and Retention Chief:
The following individual was promoted to the position of Battalion Chief:
- Battalion Chief Wesley Barnett
The following individuals were promoted to the position of Captain:
- Capt. Alex Torres
- Capt. Brian Diamond
The following individuals were promoted to the position of Lieutenant:
- Lt. Jason Crabbe
- Lt. Reiner Crabtree
- Lt. Dale Dirks
- Lt. Guy Meredith
- Lt. Baylen Payne
- Lt. JP Owens
- Lt. Chase Webb
- Lt. Peter Welch
The following individuals were promoted from cadet to firefighter:
- FF Joseph Thrower
- FF Allan Beasley
- FF Kenneth Devaughn
- FF Ty Morgan
- FF Chase Boydstun
- FF Benet Silveira
Distinguished Service Medal
- Lt. Jacob Meligan (Station 4)
- Performed lifesaving aid to a gunshot wound victim on Sept. 19, 2023
- Lt. Tad Bush, Lt. Charles Bailey, FF Michael Maddrey and FF Nick Pearson (Engine 6)
- Going above-and-beyond to provide food, comfort and compassion during a call on Nov. 1, 2023
- Lt. Keith Chapman (Station 17)
- Providing cancer education and assistance
- Ray Melton (Fire Prevention)
- For his years of service to fire and life safety education
Service Recognition Medal
- Shannon Hoffman (Station 11 Support)
- Chief Jim Pokrandt (Logistics 1)
- Provides small engine repairs, maintains the storage warehouse and provides support during calls
- Scott Jillson
- Provides warehouse and supply support
- Chief Adam Harrison
- Assumed the role of Fire Chief
- Deputy Chief Paul Williams
- His dedication to ECFR both on and off-duty
- Chief Greg Campanella
- Providing over 15 years of service to ECFR; led change in his division leading to growth for ECFR; for his leadership on new projects; his push for advanced technology within the service
- Battalion Chief Curt Isakson
- For his love and passion for the fire service; his dedication to teaching fire service education and offering free admission to ECFR personnel to County Fire Tactics conferences
- Captain Matt "On-Call" Rus
- For over 15 years of service; assistance with Firefighter 1 class and interviews of new ECFR members
- Lt. Tom Schwartz
- For 15 years of service; his involvement in the ECFR Awards Committee, Peer Support teams and CIT; pilot of ECFR's first drone
- FF Chris French
- For over 15 years of service; his love of teaching and sharing his expertise; his motivation of others
- Lt. John VanMatre
- For over 15 years of service; his decision to come out of retirement to help with Fleet Management; his work to organize the Fleet program and keep vehicles maintained; his work to keep ECFR moving forward
- David Coulter
- For over 15 years of service to the Fleet program; working with Chief Williams and Lt. VanMatre getting vehicles serviced and repaired
- Lt. Jim Allen
- For over 15 years of service; one of first three Training Lieutenants for ECFR; leader of the Peer Support team; his deep passion for his job, training, mental health support and his family
- Lt. Lynn Garrett
- For over 15 years of service; ECFR Bugler and his commitment to playing for any agency that requests his services
Company Citations
- 04/06/2023: Water Rescue with Multiple Patients in Cardiac Arrest
- Ladder 19 - Lt. Vowell, FF Clark, FF Williams
- Engine 8 - Lt. Bosso, FF Wilson, FF Stafford, FF/PM Fike
- Squad 14- Lt. Webb, FF Coulter, FF McGuffey
- Battalion Chief 2 - BC Boothe
- 04/16/2023: Cardiac Arrest Save - 90 block of Moreno Court
- Engine 16 - Lt. Schwartz, FF King, FF Lemmon
- Battalion Chief 2 - Acting Battalion Chief Chapman
- 04/28/2023: Water Rescue - Pensacola Beach Walkover 25C
- Engine 13 - Lt. Meredith, FF Mauro, FF Huber
- Ladder 13 - Captain Barnett, FF Stivers, FF Chapman
- Battalion Chief 3 - BC Harrison
- Engine 17 - Lt. Chapman, FF Carballosa, FF Aceto
- 06/08/2023: Cardiac Arrest Save - 16000 block of Perdido Key Drive
- Ladder 19 - Lt. Sumner, FF Pittman, FF Frage, FF Jobb
- Engine 8 - Lt. Marcum, FF McCleary, FF Stevenson, FF Reeves
- Civilian - Dr. Damon Darsey, Medical Director of the State of Mississippi Public Safety
- 06/16/2023: Flooding Conditions - Forest Creek Apartments
- Chief Williams
- Chief Campanella
- FF Beasley
- FF Rosa
- Squad 14 - Lt. Saxton, FF Govyadov, FF Aceto, FF Dray
- 08/12/2023: Cardiac Arrest Save - 7100 block of Peninsula Drive
- Engine 11 - Lt. King, Lt. Rogers, FF Held
- 10/15/2023: Cardiac Arrest Save - 3300 block of Marion Oaks Way
- Engine 16 - Lt. King, FF King, FF Jackson
- 10/31/2023: Cardiac Arrest Save - Victory Assembly of God
- Engine 18 - Dan Floyd and Nick Walsh
- Engine 4 - Lt. Meligan, FF Fehl, FF Pizzo
- 11/13/2023: Motor Vehicle Crash with Extrication - Chemstrand Road
- Battalion Chief 3 - BC Barnett
- Engine 6 - Lt. Mills, FF Maddrey, FF Callahan, FF Fajardo
- Engine 7 - Lt. Hunsucker, FF Johnson, FF Muldoon, FF Boudreaux
- Engine 4 - Lt. Meligan, FF Fehl, FF Quina, FF Opielowski
- Squad 3 - Lt. Cloer, FF Hill, FF Darr, FF Neydlin
- Safety 4 - Lt. Allen
- 11/28/2023: Cardiac Arrest Save - Along Blue Angel Parkway
- Squad 14 - Lt. Longsworth, FF Werner, FF Haymer
- Engine 8 - Lt. Marcum, FF Brandt, FF Stevenson, FF Kenny
- 12/11/2023: Cardiac Arrest Save - 7900 block of Kipling Street
- Engine 7 - Lt. Gradia, Lt. Payne, FF Vera, FF Brown
Civilian Awards
- Mr. and Mrs. Tony Hawthorne
- For locating a patient stuck in the mud for six days along the Perdido River; used their boat to rescue the patient.
- Dr. Damon Darsey
- Assisted ECFR with a cardiac arrest patient in Perdido Key. Dr. Darsey is the Medical Director of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
Hurricane Idalia Deployment
- The following individuals deployed to Madison County following Hurricane Idalia as part of the Tactical Response Team - 104:
- BC Boothe
- Lt. Mills
- Lt. Gradia
- Lt. Crabbe
- Lt. Crabtree
- FF Carmichael
- FF Darr
- FF Walther
Final Alarm Recepients
- Chief Gregory Rodrique - Volunteer Firefighter Station 2
- Lt. Phyllis Kurcher - Volunteer Firefighter Station 2
Click here to view pictures from the 2024 ECFR Awards Ceremony.
