Fire Department - Members

Awards & Recognition Program

Program Details:  

It is the policy of the City of Ketchikan Fire Department to publicly recognize and reward extraordinary, exceptionally meritorious, outstanding acts of valor and other acts or services which are above and beyond that normally expected, and which distinguish the individual or unit among those performing similar acts or services.

Letters from citizens or other non-department personnel commending a firefighter's performance may be submitted to the Fire Chief via email to kfd@city.ketchikan.ak.us for possible departmental award action. The letter shall become part of the employees personnel file.

Award Criteria and Order of Precedence:  

  • Medal of Honor  - Awarded posthumously to a firefighter who, in the line of duty, displays extraordinary heroism in the face of a life-threatening situation and is killed.
  • Fire Cross  - Awarded to a firefighter who dies in the line of duty. Examples: heart attack, exposure to a fire or smoke or infectious disease.
  • Medal of Valor  - Awarded where hazardous duty is performed by a firefighter who risks his/her life in doing so. This act must be of such an extraordinary nature that the firefighter exposed himself/herself to peril, above and beyond the call of duty. This is the most senior award for a firefighter.
  • Fire Citation  - Awarded for service in the line of duty which required unusual thoroughness, conscientiousness, determination or initiative in the performance of a difficult assignment. The service need not involve exposure to personnel danger, but must have been instrumental in protecting life or property. It may include acts of bravery or skill that because of such action a life was saved. This is the second most senior award for a firefighter.
  • Fire Commendation  - Awarded for accomplishments involving above average alertness or initiative; for successful management of difficult unit or group operations for successful exercise of command responsibility in unusual situations or in situations beyond the normal level of assignment; or for exceptionally effective work with the public. This is the third most senior award for a firefighter.
  • Lifesaving  - Awarded to a firefighter for saving a human life. This award is intended for all personnel directly responsible for saving a human life. This award shall be given in addition to any other award. Example: Medal of Valor, Fire Citation, etc. in which a human life was saved. This is the fourth most senior award for a firefighter.
  • Unit Citation  - Awarded to two or more firefighters who while acting as a crew perform in an outstanding manner under unusual conditions. Unit Citations are awarded to each member of the crew. This is the fourth most senior award for a firefighter.
  • Chief’s Letter of Merit  - Awards of merit are written by the Fire Chief in recognition of outstanding service. This is the fifth most senior award for a firefighter.
  • City Manager Award  - Awarded to a firefighter at the recommendation of the Fire Chief or the initiative of the City Manager. It is intended to recognize personnel for outstanding long tenured service to Ketchikan. It may also be awarded to an employee for a duty or service that brought great credit to the firefighter, the Fire Department, or Ketchikan. The exact criterion for the issuance of this award rests strictly with the discretion of the City Manager. This is the sixth most senior award for a firefighter.
  • Firefighter of the Year  - Awarded to an two (2) outstanding firefighters each year. Given to one paid and one volunteer firefighter who shows superior performance, motivation, leadership and dedication.
  • Most In House Time  - Recognition of the volunteer member with the most hours spent on duty in the fire station during the previous year.
  • Most Drill Hours  - Recognition of the volunteer member with the most training hours attended during the previous year.

Previous Awards:  

2020: 

Fire Commendation – Captain Tracy Mettler for filling the position of Fire Chief during an unplanned emergency, leadership for both the paid and volunteer staff, installing the bay door safety system, keeping the fleet of apparatus maintained, hours of liaison work for the Ladder Truck and Mini-Pumper construction project. 

Firefighter of the Year - Volunteer Firefighter/EMT Chet Hugo for continued commitment and support for the City of Ketchikan and Ketchikan Fire Department, repairing items with his sewing skills, painting the fireboat, attending in-house training and participating in the Firefighter 1 training, working on driving skills, mentoring volunteer recruits, and assisting with mapping and grant applications. Recognized by his peers. 

Unit Citation - Fire Marshal O’Sullivan, Captain Tracy Mettler, and Tiffany Cook for addressing training and participation in the Volunteer Program. 

Unit Citation - Captain Mettler, Tyler Headley, Jeff Jones, and Ken Furchtenicht for working with Pierce and Hughes fire apparatus cutting out and replacing the fender parts on Engine 1.

Unit Citation - Jennifer Hecla and Brock Hecla for superior Information Technology support and service. 

Unit Citation - Senior Medic Terry Roberts and Firefighter/Medic Brian Short for compassionate service provided in the line of service. Nominated by patients family members for outstanding care.

Unit Citation - Captains James Kleinschmidt and Dave Breitkreutz for supporting coworkers, our staff and overcoming staffing shortages in a unique pandemic year. 

Unit Citation - Fire Marshal O’Sullivan and Senior Medic Terry Roberts for organizing and executing the Firefighter 1 class and PALS classes. These classes took the overcoming of pandemic social distancing to a new height.

Unit Citation - Volunteer Firefighters Caleb Gibson, Leonardo Bonilla-Troche, Shasta Fenwick, Alejandra  Zarate-Kolwalski, and Lauren Gaiser for participating in the Firefighter 1 training. 

Unit Citation - Firefighter/Medics Willie Shulz, Andrew Tighe, Frank Divelbiss along with Volunteer Firefighters Kim Stone and Chet Hugo for assisting with training and skills during the Firefighter 1 and HazMat class.

Letter of Merit - Firefighter/Medic Jeff Jones for carrying out the duties of the Quartermaster in a budget tight year. 

Letter of Merit - Jennifer Hecla for exceeding the expectations of the Administrative Assistant position and keeping Ketchikan Fire Department on track. 

Letter of Merit - Volunteer Firefighter/EMT Tiffany Cook for organizing and hosting the community good will gathering for the Tatsuda’s rockslide incident, promoting the volunteer program and taking care of the membership.  

Letter of Merit - Rebekka Esbjornson for returning and exercising the duties of the Administrative Assistant in a professional manor. 

Letter of Merit - Volunteer Firefighter/EMT’s Kathy Tighe and Kim Stone tied for having the most volunteer responses in 2020.  Thank you for being leaders in our ranks.

Letter of Merit - Senior Medic Andy Tighe for investigation work performed with North Tongass duplex fire and leadership with HazMat curriculum and equipment maintenance programs. 

Letter of Merit - Firefighter/Medic Brian Short for staying on top of business inspection throughout the year and putting together the Hoarder House lesson plan for all three shifts.

Letter of Merit - Firefighter/Medic Frank Divelbiss for work on the station air compressors, taking air samples, working with the compressor technician, and consistently checking on the fireboat.

Letter of Merit - Fire Marshal Gretchen O’Sullivan organized and taught the PALS recertification class. Proposed and wrote the issuing of individual SCBA regulator policy for SCBA’s which has provided a level of safety for our firefighters.  Applied for the Fire Marshal position and is succeeding in the position. Recommended for this award by her peers. 

Letter of Merit - Firefighter/Medic Jessie Austin for responding to the most callbacks for firefighters and taking care of the dive team equipment.

Unsinkable Award - Fire Chief Scott Brainard for department leadership and compassion for all members of the department. Presented by Tiffany Cook on behalf of department membership.