Fire engineer honored as Costa Mesa Firefighter of the Year
Costa Mesa fire Engineer Steve Cathey was named Firefighter of the Year on Thursday at an event honoring local police and firefighters.
The celebration at Fete the Venue in Costa Mesa was presented by the Chamber of Commerce.
Cathey attended Santa Ana College and first became interested in firefighting through the guidance of his cousin, fellow Costa Mesa Fire and Rescue employee Capt. Rob Gagne. Cathey joined the department’s Explorer program in 1996.
Fire Chief Dan Stefano said Cathey exemplifies the qualities of a firefighter, calling him “salt of the earth.”
Cathey, along with Division Chief Jason Pyle, helped stabilize a 91-year-old man who was having a medical emergency aboard a flight headed to John Wayne Airport in January 2017.
“He [Cathey] comes in with a smile every day,” Stefano said. “It doesn’t matter what you ask of him.”
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
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