The Liberal Fire Department recently hosted their annual awards and recognition ceremony honoring employees and volunteers who work to keep our community safe. Awards included:

Years of Service –

Tyler Kulow: 5 Years
Aaron Luman: 10 Years
Mario Munoz: 10 Years
Ragan Dreitz: 20 Years
Brian Fornwalt: 25 Years

Education Achievements –

Jaime Lamas & Jesus Valencia: These firefighters recently obtained their Firefighter 1 certification (Jaime also completed Firefighter 2). These are nationally accredited certifications. They earned their “Traditional Helmet & Shield” identifying them on fire scenes as fully trained personnel.

Daniel Loesch, Aaron Luman & Jose Torres: These gentlemen have completed a one-year Fire Service Leadership apprenticeship through Hutchinson Community College and Kansas Department of Labor. The course is taught by retired Fire Chief Jeff Deal and earns them a nationally recognized Journeyman certificate and title.

Special Awards –

Elias Olson: Rookie of the Year – Awarded to the outstanding firefighter with 6 to 18 months of service as nominated by their peers.

Ronnie Sumner: Volunteer Firefighter of the Year – Ronnie is a multiple time recipient of this award spanning his 32 year career as a Volunteer Firefighter. He is employed full time by Black Hills Energy who allows him great latitude in responding to emergencies any time of the day or night. His dedication and loyalty in the service of his community is unrivaled.

Aaron Luman: Firefighter of the Year – Awarded to a member of the department for outstanding performance in all aspects of the job as nominated by their peers.