KANNAPOLIS — More than 200 fire department personnel and family members attended the Kannapolis Fire Department (KFD) recruit class graduation and annual awards and appreciation banquet at the Harvest House of the West A Street Church of God in Kannapolis. Award recipients were honored at the banquet and by Kannapolis City Council at the Feb. 25 City Council meeting.
Recruits recognized for completion of a 19-week fire service training course are: Chase Abernathy, Phillip Barbee, Hugh Barnes, Scott Bennett, Daniel Brown, Jarrett Caskey, Ryan Cochran, Adam Dellinger, Dylan Ennis, Lamar Flake, Stenardo Freeman, Don Gray, Julia Leventhal, Blake Overcash, Nate Powel, Benjamin Preddy, John Talbert and Adrian Turner. In addition, KFD welcomed Ashley Armstrong and Casey Blackwelder to the suppression staff.
Among the many personnel honored for their accomplishments in 2012 were Captain Timothy “T.J.” Cook, awarded the Larry C. Phillips Fire Officer of the Year Award, and Firefighter Todd Wisner, who received the Danny E. Scott Firefighter of the Year Award.
In addition to these awards, KFD Explorer Captain Tyler O’Brien received the Explorer Officer of the Year. Explorer Osbeida “Beida” Benitez received the Explorer of the Year Award. Captain Gentry Nesbit received the Bradley E. Jordan Outstanding Service Award.