Kannapolis firefighters honored

Brad Jordan

Cody McSwain

KANNAPOLIS – On Jan. 21, the Kannapolis Fire Department held its annual Awards and Appreciation Banquet. More than 150 fire department personnel and family members attended the event at the Old Cabarrus Bank Building in downtown Kannapolis.

Among the personnel honored for their accomplishments in 2011 were Captain Brad Jordan, who received the Larry C. Phillips Fire Officer of the Year Award, and Firefighter Cody McSwain, who received the Danny E. Scott Firefighter of the Year Award. Retired chief Phillips was among the guests in attendance for the presentation of these awards.

“It is an honor to be recognized in front of everyone in the department,” Jordan said. “I would have never conceived that I would have an award named after me. To have that happen and to receive the highest honor in the department at the same event is overwhelming! I am truly grateful to work with such thoughtful and wonderful people. Awards like these would not be possible without my truck company and the many others I work with on a daily basis.”

Jordan and firefighter McSwain will be recognized by Kannapolis City Council at today’s meeting for their awards and accomplishments.

In addition to these awards, Kannapolis Fire Department Explorer Hunter Brantley received the Explorer Officer of the Year and the Bradley E. Jordan Outstanding Service Award. Explorer Gentry Nesbit received the Explorer of the Year Award.

In other department news, Kannapolis Fire has received a $750 grant from the North Carolina Firefighters’ Burned Children Fund (NCFFBCF). The department will use the grant money to get interactive puppets and other educational materials for upcoming preschool events.

“Without grant opportunities such as this, the fire department would not be able to fund all of the educational programming we provide,” said Fire Chief Ernie Hiers. “The Kannapolis Fire Department would like to thank the North Carolina Firefighters’ Burned Children Fund for its dedication to burn survivors and families, as well as fire department prevention and education programs.”

David Nance, president of the NCFFBCF, along with Kannapolis Fire Inspector-Risk Reduction and NCFFBCF Treasurer Shane Pethel, presented five grants totaling $4,000 as part of the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center Luncheon at the North Carolina Fire & Life Safety Education Conference.

“It is always a pleasure to help fire departments and safety organizations further their efforts through our grant program,” Nance said. “Funds raised through local chapters go to making our grant program such a success. This year we were able to raise our grant money from $3,000 to $4,000. We hope to continue to give at the $4,000 level or better in the years to come.”

For more information on the NCFFBCF, visit their website.