- Department of Fire Services
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Jake Wark, Public Information Officer
WORCESTER — Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Public Safety & Security Secretary Gina K. Kwon, and State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine today honored firefighters from 15 local fire departments and two state agencies for acts of lifesaving heroism and community service at Massachusetts’ 36th Annual Firefighter of the Year Awards.
“This year’s awards reflect selfless acts of courage and skill that saved lives, protected homes, and delivered our most vulnerable residents from danger,” said Governor Healey. “To every firefighter who puts on the gear and answers the call, you have my gratitude and the gratitude of our entire state. We are so proud to support you as you support our safety every day.”
“Massachusetts firefighters are our first line of defense against countless hazards,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “It’s an honor to recognize the breathtaking courage that the Firefighter of the Year awards reflect, and to thank these brave professionals for the work they do to protect our communities every day.”
“The stories behind this year’s awards took place during last year’s wildfires and in fires in every type of structure, from homes to businesses,” said Secretary Kwon. “But they also took place at medical emergencies, technical rescues, and car crashes, in icy water and on ladders high above city streets. If there is one common theme, it’s the members of our community who never hesitate to help people in danger.”
“We have a saying in the fire service – you risk a little to save a little, and you risk a lot to save a lot,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “In big cities and small towns, these firefighters risked everything when lives were on the line. The physical, mental, and technical skills they bring to this demanding job are second to none, and the Firefighter of the Year awards are a small way of recognizing their singular value to our Commonwealth.”
This year’s awards were presented to 170 firefighters from communities across Massachusetts, reflecting responses at 17 emergency scenes between June 20, 2024, and June 30, 2025. They included two individual citations for meritorious conduct, 10 group citations, and 13 Medals of Valor.
One veteran firefighter received the Norman Knight Award for Excellence in Community Service for her work as a longtime fire safety and prevention advocate. State Fire Marshal Davine presented the Fire Marshal’s award to two groups: a team of Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors and support staff who saved the life of a recruit who went into cardiac arrest during training, and Chief Fire Warden David Celino and the Department of Conservation & Recreation’s wildland firefighters for their work during last fall’s wildfires.
These recipients are:
Brockton Fire Department
Medal of Valor
- Captain Daniel Foye
- Firefighter Bryan Feeney
- Firefighter Mark Gedgaudas
- Firefighter Anthony Hardy
- Firefighter Sean McSheffrey
Canton Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Firefighter Jonathan Buckley
Chelsea Fire Department
Medal of Valor
- Firefighter Euclides Barahona
Chicopee Fire Department
Norman Knight Award for Excellence in Community Service
- Captain Katie Collins-Kalbaugh
Department of Conservation & Recreation
Stephen D. Coan Fire Marshal’s Award
- Chief Fire Warden David Celino
- Wildland Firefighter Robert Armstrong
- Wildland Firefighter Rebekah Baker
- Wildland Firefighter Robert Bellan
- Wildland Firefighter Alex Belote
- Wildland Firefighter Nicholas Benjamin
- Wildland Firefighter Tyler Bower
- Wildland Firefighter Sean Cadigan
- Wildland Firefighter Margaret Carnevale
- Wildland Firefighter John Celona
- Wildland Firefighter Bryan Colwell
- Wildland Firefighter Glen Consolmagno
- Wildland Firefighter Patricia Correia
- Wildland Firefighter Nathaniel Cowan
- Wildland Firefighter Max Cruz
- Wildland Firefighter Tyler Desautels
- Wildland Firefighter Alex Desrochers
- Wildland Firefighter David Desrochers
- Wildland Firefighter Derren Eaton
- Wildland Firefighter Brian Everett
- Wildland Firefighter Zachary Favreau
- Wildland Firefighter Jacob Gilbert
- Wildland Firefighter Phil Gilmore
- Wildland Firefighter Gary Hannula
- Wildland Firefighter Herman Meattey
- Wildland Firefighter Jerry Hodges
- Wildland Firefighter Riley Holm
- Wildland Firefighter Christopher Hueling
- Wildland Firefighter Ben Jennell
- Wildland Firefighter Brian Johnson
- Wildland Firefighter Nicholas Johnson
- Wildland Firefighter Colin King
- Wildland Firefighter George Kleczka
- Wildland Firefighter James Kontoules
- Wildland Firefighter Alex Landry
- Wildland Firefighter Roy Liard
- Wildland Firefighter Karyn Lothrop
- Wildland Firefighter Gilbert Loud
- Wildland Firefighter Nicole Madden
- Wildland Firefighter Vincenzo Marino
- Wildland Firefighter Michael Marquardt
- Wildland Firefighter Brian Mayer
- Wildland Firefighter Kaden (John) McInnis
- Wildland Firefighter Jeffrey McNamara
- Wildland Firefighter James Morrison
- Wildland Firefighter Declan Nash
- Wildland Firefighter Joshua Nigro
- Wildland Firefighter Christopher O'Brien
- Wildland Firefighter Jacob O'Donnell
- Wildland Firefighter Brian Procida
- Wildland Firefighter Joseph Reen
- Wildland Firefighter Andrew Regan
- Wildland Firefighter Brendan Regan
- Wildland Firefighter Angel Reyes
- Wildland Firefighter Keith Robbins
- Wildland Firefighter Carolyn Rogers
- Wildland Firefighter Shane Ryder
- Wildland Firefighter Conner Shults
- Wildland Firefighter Cody Smeaton
- Wildland Firefighter Brandon Stritt
- Wildland Firefighter Brenden Trela
- Wildland Firefighter Ryan Trela
- Wildland Firefighter Julian Tymrakiewicz
- Wildland Firefighter Charles Uchendu
- Wildland Firefighter Derick Valovcin
- Wildland Firefighter Aaron Whiddon
- Wildland Firefighter Gregory Whittier
- Wildland Firefighter Benjamin Yanakakis
Everett Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Captain James Lewis
Fall River Fire Department
Medal of Valor
- Captain Francis O'Reagan
- Firefighter Andrew Cordeiro
- Firefighter Michael Cusick
Fitchburg Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Lieutenant Paul Andrew Duquette
- Lieutenant Barry Hyvarinen
- Firefighter Michael Castelli
- Firefighter Timothy Downey
- Firefighter Skyler Kozloski
- Firefighter Nicholas Landry
- Firefighter Michael Pawlak
Fitchburg Fire Department
Medal of Valor
- Firefighter Antonio Similia
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Deputy Chief Patrick J. Roy
- Captain Andrew Doughty
- Lieutenant Kyle Forrest
- Lieutenant Robert Lafleur
- Lieutenant Francisco Robles
- Firefighter Jeffrey Boudreau
- Firefighter Brendan Byrne
- Firefighter Charles Colburn III
- Firefighter Kenneth Hellums
- Firefighter Jeremy Kimber
- Firefighter Trevor Lawler
- Firefighter Jacob Morin
- Firefighter Benjamin Nealon
- Firefighter Justin Pike
- Firefighter Jose Silva
- Firefighter Antonio Similia
Framingham Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Deputy Chief Jose Lopez DeVictoria
- Captain Robert Jones
- Firefighter Alberto Martins
- Firefighter Peter Mathieu
- Firefighter Matthew Whalen
Lowell Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Lieutenant Michael Dexter
- Temporary Officer Steven DaSilva
- Firefighter Oscar Jimenez
- Firefighter Corey Nadeau
Marlborough Fire Department
Medal of Valor
- Firefighter Ralph Cacciapaglia
- Firefighter Matthew Lupisella
- Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Battalion Chief Brian LaCroix
- Lieutenant Brian Leonard
- Firefighter Donald Bardsley
- Firefighter Adam Buckley
- Firefighter Charles Butler
- Firefighter Ralph Cacciapaglia
- Firefighter Steven Cavallo
- Lieutenant Jeffrey Kasaras
- Firefighter Michael LaPorte
- Firefighter Matthew Lupisella
- Firefighter Shane Penney
- Firefighter Colin G. Richardson
- Firefighter Jacob Thompson
- Firefighter Daniel Valovcin
Massachusetts Firefighting Academy
Stephen D. Coan Fire Marshal’s Award
- Assistant Coordinator David Ryan (Worcester Fire Department)
- Instructor Joel Abreu (Lynn Fire Department)
- Instructor Benjamin Arnold (Waltham Fire Department)
- Instructor Jeff Cote (Hopedale Fire Department)
- Instructor Jeremy Coupal (Lowell Fire Department)
- Instructor David DeMarco (Belmont Fire Department)
- Instructor Joseph DeSisto (Everett Fire Department)
- Instructor Paul Andrew Duquette (Fitchburg Fire Department)
- Instructor Michael Dwyer (Cambridge Fire Department, retired)
- Instructors Kevin Cronin (Lynn Fire Department, retired)
- Instructor Jackson Lowbridge (Worcester Fire Department)
- Instructor Tony Marfongelli (Salem Fire Department, retired)
- Instructor Paul McPhail (Arlington Fire Department, retired)
- Instructor Edward Morrissey III (Cambridge Fire Department)
- Instructor James Puleo (Mansfield Fire Department, retired)
- Instructor Andrejs Sterns (Worcester Fire Department)
- Instructor Chris Stevens (Boston Fire Department, retired)
- Crib Support Staff Kevin Holstrom (Dudley Fire Department)
- Crib Support Staff Paul Pavone (Shrewsbury Fire Department)
New Bedford Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Captain Michael Dillon
- Lieutenant Kyle Martin
- Firefighter Paul Britto
- Firefighter Renald Russo III
Pittsfield Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Firefighter Clarence Gunn
- Firefighter Mathew Mazzeo
Rockland Fire Department
Medal of Valor
- Firefighter Thomas Henderson
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Captain Jason Fricker
- Firefighter Reid Broderick
- Firefighter Caio Costa
- Firefighter Robert Creighton
- Firefighter Thomas Henderson
- Firefighter Liam O'Flaherty
- Firefighter Marc Oshry
Stoneham Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Captain Rick Darragh
- Captain David Eastman
- Firefighter Chris Humber
- Firefighter Daniel Kelleher
- Firefighter Dominic DeSimone
- Firefighter James McLaughlin Jr.
- Firefighter Miles Plant
- Firefighter Sean Devlin
Yarmouth Fire Department
Citation for Meritorious Conduct
- Lieutenant/EMT Kevin Enright
- Firefighter/EMT Robert Crosby, Jr.
Since their inception in 1990, the Firefighter of the Year Awards have grown from a simple ceremony to the premier annual event for the Massachusetts fire service, honoring the Commonwealth’s firefighters and recognizing their invaluable contributions to all our communities.
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