Firefighter of Year named

By Sandy Morris

The Albany Volunteer Fire Department honored member Jeff Hill with the 2020 Firefighter of the Year merit award at the monthly meeting on Monday, Feb. 1.

According to chief Kyle Tischler, the members of the fire department nominate the individual for this award whom they believe has best met the five following qualifications:

The firefighter must not be on probation.

The firefighter must have shown to be highly active in the department through meetings and fire/emergency calls.

The firefighter must have shown dedication to his/her duty as an Albany firefighter and demonstrate professionalism.

The firefighter must be knowledgeable in the fields of firefighting and safety.

The nominee should be known as one who “goes the extra mile” and is considered dependable.

Tischler said that firefighter Hill has been with the department for a couple of years. 

“Jeff is one who gives his time and energy working to help keep the citizens of Albany safe in his role as an Albany firefighter,” said chief Tischler. 

The fire chief said they had planned to honor Hill in December.

“We typically have the award ceremony as part of our annual Christmas party in December,” chief Tishler said. “This year, due to COVID, we had to postpone the ceremony and the party.”