Orange County Fire & EMS Honors Excellence at 4th Annual Awards Banquet By: Susan Turner, Senior Administrative Assistant Fire & EMS Orange County Fire & EMS proudly hosted its 4th Annual Awards Banquet, an evening dedicated to recognizing the dedication, professionalism, and service of its personnel. The event brought together career and volunteer members, families, and community supporters to celebrate the accomplishments of those who serve the Orange County community each day.
During the ceremony, several members were recognized for promotions earned through their hard work and commitment to the department. Chris Vess, Hailey Brown, and Charles Waddle were promoted to Master Technician. Michael Pearson, Eric McDonnel, Ashley Lilly, and Ryan Wilson were promoted to Lieutenant, while Tristan Lugo and Jamie Colvin were promoted to Captain. The banquet also highlighted exceptional service and achievement through annual awards. Captain Jamie Colvin received the Outstanding Leadership Award, Josephina Rathke was named Firefighter/EMT of the Year, and Firefighter/Paramedic Matthew Stafford was recognized as Firefighter/Medic of the Year. Lieutenant Hunter Hall received the Officer of the Year Award, Bert Roby of the Orange Volunteer Fire Company was honored as Volunteer Officer of the Year, and Assistant Chief Mike Throckmorton received the Career Achievement Award. The Unit Citation Award was presented to Nick Brown, Matthew Stafford, Sydney Guckert, Josephina Rathke, Taylor Khordes, Noah Madden, Jeff Mendonca, and Mine Run Volunteer Fire Company for exemplary teamwork and service. Orange County Fire & EMS also recognized members for their years of dedicated service. Barrett Michael, Jessica Caudill, and Nick Brown were honored for five years of service; Tristan Lugo and Ryan Wilson for ten years; and Jamie Colvin for fifteen years of service.
The department extends a special thank you to Rounton Farm for providing the venue, Coopers Cookin’ and Catering LLC for the outstanding meal, and Christina Craft for the beautiful and delicious cake that helped make the evening a success. Orange County Fire & EMS congratulates all award recipients and promoted personnel. Their continued commitment and service make a lasting impact on the community and reflect the highest standards of public service.
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OCI May 2026
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