Recognizing Our People: 2025 Meritorious Awards

Central Pierce Fire & Rescue recently had the honor of celebrating the outstanding performance and dedication of our firefighters and administrative staff by giving out Meritorious Awards and recognizing significant years of service achieved in 2025.

From lifesaving rescues to quiet acts of mentorship and dedication behind the scenes, each recognition tells a story of dedication and commitment.

Award of Excellence

The Award of Excellence is given to members who demonstrate exceptional services, professionalism, admirable performance, or innovations that improve district efficiency.

Award of Excellence recipients include Lieutenant J. K. Brown, Battalion Chief Fortier, Lieutenant Hudspeth, Lieutenant Krekling, Apparatus Operator McGrath, Firefighter Ohira, Lieutenant Roselle, Lieutenant Waddell, and Firefighter/Paramedic Watamura.

“Apparatus Operator McGrath embodies the same type of values through personal character, motivation, and his technical competencies,” said Lieutenant Ragsdale. Apparatus Operator McGrath performs his duties with a high level of professionalism and personal integrity, delivering dependable, high-quality service on every call. His calm demeanor, technical competence, and commitment to doing things the right way have made him a trusted resource at Station 95, the Hazmat Team, and all members across the department, regardless of rank or tenure.

Firefighter/Paramedic Kavanaugh describes Lieutenant Krekling by saying, “he is the most selfless, authentic, hard-working, and knowledgeable person I have had the pleasure to work alongside.”  He is someone who is always there for others and helps them when needed, whether that’s around the dinner table, talking to a patient, talking about a patient call, etc. He is always there when people need him most.

Lieutenant Waddell was nominated for having what one member described as a “servant soul.” His ability to support others while remaining composed during critical incidents has made a profound impact on those around him.

Lieutenant Roselle was nominated for his unwavering commitment to the Central Pierce Fire & Rescue pump operation academy, where he has spent countless hours developing lesson plans and ensuring the program’s success for the future.

Lieutenant Hudspeth was recognized for consistently going above and beyond for his crews and constantly utilizing his own personal time off to read and reference medical journals and studies as well as provide fact and evidence basis for protocol development. His passion for being a paramedic has made him a respected subject matter expert within the organization.

Battalion Chief Fortier was recognized for the amount of time and effort he has put into training, ensuring the department receives the highest quality training.

Public Educator Thompson  highlights the work of Firefighter/Paramedic Watamura, Firefighter Ohira, and Lieutenant J. K. Brown for the incredible contribution and impact that our very own print shop (Westside Industries) has had to our department. This crew has taught themselves how to do stickers, printing, metal engraving, and more during their shift and off-duty time to help the district save money and get projects done internally. They complete each project with a sense of pride, shocking speed, and quality that is truly unmatched.

Distinguished Conduct Award 

The Distinguished Conduct Award is given to members who demonstrate exceptional professionalism, effectiveness, and outstanding services while facing danger or adversity.

Distinguished Conduct Award recipients includeFirefighter Ausenhus, Firefighter Carlson, Apparatus Operator Cook, Lieutenant Farias, Apparatus Operator Gough, Lieutenant Hall, Firefighter Hanson, Apparatus Operator Haulman, Firefighter Lipke, Lieutenant Martinson, Firefighter J. Nelson, Firefighter/Paramedic Reed, Captain R. Smith, Firefighter K. Thompson, South Pierce Firefighter Karman, and Lieutenant Stone

Firefighter Ausenhus, Firefighter Carlson, Lieutenant Farias, and Apparatus Operator Haulman were nominated by District Chief R. Kent for the courage and bravery they showed at an apartment fire. When the crew pulled up to the apartment fire with smoke and flames visible, they noticed a family on the backside of the apartment trapped with nowhere to go. All the family could do was jump, and the crew immediately jumped into action to save them. Throughout this, the crew stayed calm and collected to save this family during a dangerous situation.

Another crew, Apparatus Operator Gough, Firefighter Lipke, Firefighter J. Nelson, and Captain R. Smith, were recognized for their determination during a critical fire response. They located an access point and reached a trapped community member before others could gain entry, giving the victim the best possible chance of survival through their quick and decisive actions.

Apparatus Operator Cook, Lieutenant Hall, and Firefighter Hanson saved a man trapped in his house during a house fire. This crew pulled up to the house and found smoke and flames visible. Immediately, they jumped into action and started a primary search of the house and found an unconscious male, whom they pulled to safety. Their effectiveness during this fire saved him, and he was able to reunite with them at a later date and thank them for saving his life.

Lieutenant Martinson, Firefighter/Paramedic Reed, Firefighter K. Thompson, South Pierce Lieutenant Stone, and Firefighter Karman responded to a critical trauma call involving a logger. The quick decisions made by the first responders were the sole reason that the logger is alive today. Lieutenant Bamford stated, “in my opinion as a peer, the actions taken by the crew were exceptional and deserve recognition.”

Community Service Award

The Community Service Award is given to members of the community or employees who make outstanding contributions to fire and life safety through education, public relations, or public service.

Community Service Award recipients include Apparatus Operator Orseth and Captain Wohrle

When Deputy Chief Jackson nominated Apparatus Operator Orseth for this award, he thought of three qualities that Orseth embodied, and those were dedication, passion, and caring.  A year ago, Orseth was approached by Deputy Chief Jackson to help host the Skills USA competition at Central Pierce Fire & Rescue. Orseth jumped on the opportunity and went above and beyond in making sure the students had a great time at this competition.

“To know him and work with him is an honor,” stated Public Educator Thompson about Captain Wohrle, whom she nominated for this award. Captain Wohrle has been committed to making outstanding contributions to this community through public education, public relations, and public service. 

Special Unit Citation

The Special Unit Citation is given to teams within the district that demonstrate outstanding teamwork, dedication, and professional performance during a specific event or consistently over time.

Special Unit Citation recipients include Firefighter Cotter, Lieutenant Hudspeth, Firefighter P. Murphy, Apparatus Operator Tennison, and Firefighter/Paramedic Wells

“You could not have crafted a better crew, better scenario at that moment to give our citizen the best chance that they had,” stated Captain Moe who nominated Firefighter Cotter, Lieutenant Hudspeth, Firefighter P. Murphy, Apparatus Operator Tennison, and Firefighter/Paramedic Wells. This crew was able to work together during a difficult water rescue call and demonstrate outstanding teamwork and dedication that led them to the success on the river that day.

Citizen Lifesaving Award

The Citizen Lifesaving Award is given to any member of the district who saves the life of another while acting in an off-duty capacity and away from their normal duties. It also may be presented to a citizen of the district who saves the life of another.

Citizen Lifesaving Award recipient: Dr. Johannes Wolff

Dr. Johannes Wolff was in the right place at the right time in August of 2024. Crews from Station 40 were dispatched to a water rescue on the Puyallup River near High Cedars Golf Club. Multiple people were trapped in fast-moving water and pinned against a fallen tree.

Before our crews arrived, Dr. Johannes Wolff stepped in without hesitation.

Positioned on the same log where the victims were trapped, Johannes pulled three women to safety. For the fourth, who had been submerged for several minutes, he gave clear direction to go under the log and float downstream, where he caught her and pulled her out of the water. Witnesses shared that without his quick thinking and decisive action, this incident could have had a very different outcome. Thanks to Johannes’ courage, four lives were saved that day.

Years of Service

We also celebrated members who reached significant milestones in their careers with our district in 2025. From five years of service to an incredible thirty-five years, these milestones represent decades of dedication, leadership, and commitment to our community.

5 Years – Commissioner Bellerive, Firefighter Bishop, Technical Support Specialist Bridgett Bone, Firefighter Elery, Firefighter Ford, Lieutenant George, Firefighter S. Green, Firefighter/Paramedic Hoge, Commissioner Homan, Firefighter Hudson, Firefighter/Paramedic Hutchison, Firefighter/Paramedic Jetter, Landscape and Maintenance Worker Kyle Ketter, Firefighter Lewis, Firefighter/Paramedic McCormick, Firefighter McGavran, Firefighter P. Murphy, Firefighter/Paramedic Painter, Firefighter Peredo, Firefighter/Paramedic Remund, Firefighter Renner, Firefighter Rivera, IT Director Micah Scott-Ralston, Firefighter Seberson, Communications Manager Brianna Stenstrom, Firefighter Vanderstaay, Lieutenant Vlasenko.

10 Years – Facilities Lead Brandon Butler, Lieutenant R. Cline, Lieutenant Macarthur, Lieutenant Matheny, Lieutenant McCleary, Firefighter/Paramedic McWhirter, Apparatus Operator O’Connell, Lieutenant Parrish, Lieutenant Psait, Shop Supervisor Brendon Reseck, Lieutenant Stenstrom, Captain Swart, Firefighter/Paramedic B. Wagner.

15 Years – Deputy Chief K. Berdan, Commissioner Buttz, Apparatus Operator C. Craig, Firefighter Funk, Battalion Chief Hammond, Battalion Chief T. Harris, Firefighter/Paramedic Kachman, Lieutenant Knighton, Captain D. Lucas, Firefighter/Paramedic R. Madison, Apparatus Operator Mallrie, Apparatus Operator Marquardt, Lieutenant McGlauflin, Lieutenant Rawlins, Firefighter Rozell, Lieutenant R. Snyder, Deputy Fire Marshal Wohrle.

20 Years – Apparatus Operator Baker, Apparatus Operator Baugh, Lieutenant S. Berdan, Apparatus Operator J. B. Brown, District Chief Cable, Captain J. D’Len, Battalion Chief Escobedo, Battalion Chief Flowers, Captain Kolibas, Apparatus Operator D. Madison, Lieutenant K. Olson, Lieutenant Pickering, Lieutenant R. Richardson, Captain T. Richardson, Lieutenant Romines, Lieutenant K. E. Smith, Lieutenant Sturman, Lieutenant Vining.

25 Years – District Chief Black, Apparatus Operator Clayton, Apparatus Operator Higgins, Captain Moe, Battalion Chief Prather.

30 Years – Lieutenant Bamford, HR Deputy Director Stephanie Glass, District Chief Kent, Captain Low, Deputy Fire Marshal Ray.

35 Years – Lieutenant Corak, Captain D. Curnutt, Apparatus Operator Edwards, Apparatus Operator D. Green.

Congratulations to all of our 2025 award recipients and years of service honorees. Your dedication and commitment continue to shape this organization and make a difference in the lives of our community members every day.