On Saturday, March 26, 2022 Gettysburg Fire Department held our annual awards banquet. Due to COVID-19, this year's banquet covered awards from both 2020 and 2021. The room was packed with firefighters, families, and special guests. Everyone enjoyed a social hour at 5pm followed by dinner provided by Biggerstaff Catering at 6pm.
Special thanks to Emmitsburg and Buchanan Valley Fire Departments for providing standby coverage and crews!
Top responders for both 2020 and 2021 were recognized, and department elected officers were sworn in by Gettysburg Borough Mayor Rita Frealing.
We recognized many of our members with these special awards: Tina Laughman - President's Award 2020 Phil Hartzell - Chief's Award 2020 Zuhair Rafiq - Fire Police Award 2020 Madison Knerr - Junior Firefighter of the Year 2020 John Huff - Donnie Gantz Memorial Training Award 2020 Martin Bagley - Firefighter of the Year 2020 Robert Reacher - Eugene Sickles Award 2020
Dale Powell - President's Award 2021 Joe Temarantz - Chief's Award 2021 Howie Weiss - Fire Police Award 2021 Evan Kahn - Junior Firefighter of the Year 2021 Doug Kahn - Donnie Gantz Memorial Training Award 2021 Jack Ferguson - Firefighter of the Year 2021 Ken Kime - Eugene Sickles Award 2021
Congrats to all these award recipients!
Our banquet was made possible by Huston Fox and banquet committee members Dawn Six, Carrie Bixler, Hope Bixler, Sandy Waybrant, Hank Wybolt, and Jack Ferguson.
All photos by Darryl Wheeler of the Gettysburg Times, used by permission.
Top Responders 2020
Top Responders 2021
Howie Weiss, Fire Police Award 2021, awarded by DC McGonigal
Martin Bagley, Firefighter of the Year 2020, awarded by DC McGonigal
Zuhair Rafiq, Fire Police Award 2020 and John Huff, Donnie Gantz Memorial Training Award 2020, awarded by DC McGonigal
GFD 2022 Administrative Board officers (from left): Mark Fruehan, Membership Secretary; Dawn Six, Recording Secretary; Bob Plank, Vice President; David Blocher, President; Al Knerr, Treasurer (not pictured)
2022 Fire Board Officers (from left); Will Kuntz, Lieutenant; Ken Kime, Assistant Chief; Larry Weikert, Chief; Scott McGonigal, Deputy Chief; Russell McCutcheon, Captain
Ken Kime, Eugene Sickles Award 2021, awarded by President Blocher
2022 Board of Trustees (from left): Roger Heyser, Jamie Gallagher, Brian Weikert, Jim Bixler, Doug Kahn (not pictured)
Jack Ferguson, Firefighter of the Year 2021, awarded by DC McGonigal and President Blocher