SPOKANE, Wash. — On Wednesday, the Spokane Fire Department held an awards ceremony recognizing the brave work of their members in what they say is a new tradition for both them and their families.
Spokane Fire Chief Julie O'Berg emceed the awards ceremony, honoring multiple firefighters with awards for their service, including firefighters Brennan Cooke and Clifford York, who received the Medal of Valor after responding to a deadly fire this year.
"They really go above and beyond for the protection of this community, and that's what this day represented," O'Berg said.
O'Berg said this new event is designed to show the work first responders in the community face each day, requiring each recipient for an award to be nominated by peers and go through an evaluation process done by a committee within the department.
"We can't put a time frame on it, because it all depends on the incidents we're faced with, and honestly, what we do every day is pretty high caliber," O'Berg said.
Each member was given their award, with a speech about their time in the department, alongside each member's family.
"We don't necessarily tell our loved ones what we face day to day," O'Berg said.
Wednesday was the exception, allowing them to see what they go through in a video presentation and kind words by O'Berg, hoping the success of this ceremony will allow for more in the future.