CRFD Awards Ceremony Honors Members for Outstanding Work in 2023

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department took one final look back on 2023 by highlighting and recognizing the exemplary work of many of our members during the course of the year.

Roughly 80 of our personnel were honored at an awards ceremony held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on the evening of Friday, January 19, 2024. Among the honorees were numerous CRFD firefighters who showed incredible valor, bravery and honor to save and protect lives. The department also recognized several of our support staff members for their dedication to serving our community and citizens.

“At its core this event was really about giving a deserving round of applause to all of our people who do great work each day,” said Columbia-Richland Fire Chief Aubrey D. Jenkins, who presided over the ceremony. “From our fire crews working on the streets, to our members working in our Fire Prevention Bureau to our dedicated administrative staff – it is truly a team effort for us as we carry out our mission to serve the public. I applaud all of our members who were recognized at this awards night for their exceptional work, but I know they are just a few of the faces that live our department’s mission.”

All award honorees for the event were nominated by members of the Columbia-Richland Fire Department. The department’s Awards Committee, which is made up of CRFD personnel, carried out the task of reviewing nominations at the end of 2023 and ultimately selecting which members would receive awards.

Our department is honored to congratulate the following award winners:

Superior Fitness Award Winners

These individuals practiced excellent physical fitness in 2023 and motivated their peers to strengthen their physical capabilities.

Fire Capt. Chad Alexander Fire Capt. Adam Lostetter

Sr. Firefighter John Paparella

Honorees Not Pictured: Firefighter Marcus Pee

Outstanding Support Staff Award Winners

The recipients of this award demonstrate a genuine dedication to the public and departmental good. These recipients represent an asset to the department’s mission.

Training Coor. Brittany Tarr PPE Repair Tech Kristen Womack

Honoree Not Pictured: SCBA Technician Paul Baust

Educators of the Year

This award is given to recognize the extraordinary efforts of these members to share their practical knowledge or innovations by providing training to other firefighters in his/her company, battalion, division, bureau, and/or the general department.

Fire Education Officer Ariel Thomas Fire Training Officer Erik McElhenny

Fire Marshal of the Year

This award is given to the City of Columbia Fire Marshal who has shown superior performance, community service, dedication and motivation to code enforcement.

Deputy Fire Marshal Kenneth Smith

Rookie of the Year

This award is presented to a first year suppression employee who has shown excellent learning skills, superior performance, and a desire for gaining the skills, knowledge and education to be a successful and valuable asset to the CRFD.

Firefighter Eli Presnell

Ozakie Knotts Senior Firefighter of the Year

This award is presented to a senior firefighter who has shown superior performance, companionship, and motivation.

Senior Firefighter Bryce Machain

Timmy Young Engineers of the Year

This award is presented to engineers who have shown superior performance, companionship, and motivation.

Engineer Acie Kibler Engineer Andrew McKinney

Battalion Chief Joe M. Kee Officers of the Year

This award is presented to officers who have shown superior performance, companionship, and motivation.

Fire Captain Chad Alexander Fire Captain Chris Ford

William May Leadership Awards

This award is presented to individuals that have demonstrated spectacular leadership in an informal or formal manner. The recipients lead others to improve themselves in all aspects of the fire service and affecting positive change, including leading others to improve service to the public in an exemplary manner.

Battalion Chief Jacob Eller Battalion Chief James Warf

Chief’s Cross Award

This award is reserved for the fire chief of the department to recognize a member or citizen for some outstanding achievement, within or outside the fire department that causes a positive and dramatic change in the fire department and/or community. It is given in honor of all former fire chiefs of the Columbia-Richland Fire Department.

Colleen Foster

Meritorious Cross Award

This award goes to a member who has performed an act of heroism to aid another while not on duty.

Engineer Matthew Hook

Green Cross Award

This award goes to recognize an employee’s efforts in saving or freeing endangered firefighters, victims from a fire, vehicle entrapment, technical rescue, hazardous materials incident or any other rescue situation.

Fire Captain Kenneth Warr

Formal Company/Division Citations

This award is given to recognize a company or division that overcame adverse conditions as a team to uphold the CRFD mission.

Rescue Company 1 (2^nd Shift) – Bobby Philips, Connor Brown, Caleb Jacobs & Ryan Sesty

Engine Company 14 (2^nd Shift) – Michael Barkley, Quinn Sanders & Samuel Twigger

Honorees Not Pictured: Rescue Company 3 (2^nd Shift) – John Moak, Trent Henderson & Duncan Oliver

Phoenix Awards

This award is presented in recognition of our members who have made critical judgements and actions in performing life-preserving or life-resuscitative efforts for severely injured of ill patients.

Engineer Adam Baker Fire Capt. Charles Baxter

Firefighter Adam Beale Engineer Jesse Bussey

Fire Capt. Chris Byrd Fire Capt. Ray Champagne

Firefighter Courtney Clowney Engineer Justin Epps

Firefighter Akil Finley Fire Capt. Austin Graham

Firefighter Melanie Henderson Fire Capt. Dale Hornsby

Firefighter Michael Jeffers Sr. Firefighter Kevin McDonald

Engineer Josh Moskaitis Sr. Firefighter Kevin O’Brien

Fire Capt. Kurt Paschoal Firefighter Nathan Phillips

Firefighter Khalid Ramsundar Engineer Jaered Shelton

Sr. Firefighter Chatman Smith Engineer Chad Solomon

Firefighter Stephen Solomon Firefighter Trever Sulser Jr.

Honorees Not Pictured: Firefighter Anthony Bookman, Senior Firefighter Justin Gallman, Senior Firefighter Cruz Mata, Engineer Willie Pelzer, Firefighter Travis Spigner, Senior Firefighter Len Stokes Jr., Battalion Chief Gregory Walker & Firefighter William Young

Maltese Cross Awards

This award is presented to members who were severely injured in the line of duty in the service of life-saving, fire suppression, technical rescue, or hazardous materials mitigation.