Countywide : Awards to Be Given for Fire Service

County firefighters, volunteer firefighters and civilian heroes will be honored Saturday as part of Fire Service Recognition Day.

The awards are being given by the Orange County Fire Department in an effort to promote fire service and fire safety awareness, officials said.

Firefighters, volunteer firefighters--who are paid some compensation for gas costs--and civilians who have saved lives in life-threatening fires or promoted fire safety are the award winners, said Kathleen Cha, the Fire Department’s public information officer. The awards “acknowledge their extraordinary fire service,” she said.

As part of the Fire Service Recognition Day, all 48 County Fire Department stations will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The following are the award winners:

* Battalion 1, which serves Cypress, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Stanton: firefighter and paramedic Kenny Dossey, Firefighter of the Year; Capt. Steve Wallace, Paid Call Firefighter of the Year, and Scott Herrick, Jason Landon and Darrin Ellis, Civilians of the Year.

* Battalion 2, which serves Placentia and Yorba Linda: fire engineer and paramedic Jose Valbuena, Firefighter of the Year, and Capt. Robert Wilson, Paid Call Firefighter of the Year.

* Battalion 3, which serves Tustin, Villa Park, Cowan Heights and Silverado and Modjeska canyons: Capt. Larry Black, Firefighter of the Year; engineer Alan M. Litz, Paid Call Firefighter of the Year, and Craig McKennon, John McKinnon Jr. and Mike Santoni, Civilians of the Year.

* Battalion 4, which serves Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo and Trabuco Canyon: firefighter and paramedic William Lockhart, Firefighter of the Year; Capt. Jerry Croopnick, Paid Call Firefighter of the Year, and Joe Samet, Civilian of the Year.

* Battalion 5, which serves Irvine: firefighter Jim Owen, Firefighter of the Year; Capt. Jim Cass, Paid Call Firefighter of the Year, and Jim Anderson and Blynn DeNiro, Civilians of the Year.

* Battalion 6, which serves San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and unincorporated county areas: firefighter Steve Concialdi, Firefighter of the Year; Capt. Carlos Camarena, Paid Call Firefighter of the Year, and Brenda B. Satz and JoAnn M. Martin, Civilians of the Year.

“It’s gratifying to think that people think highly of the work that you do,” said Black of Battalion 3, a 22-year veteran. “I guess it’s good to have a day set aside to recognize firefighters. But the best thing is, it brings awareness to the public to be fire-safe and take care of their property and their loved ones.”