Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage

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2023 Event

Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage Burn Prevention

 

Thank you to everyone who attended or watched the livestream of this year’s event.  We look forward to seeing you next year.

 

 

 

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2023 Awardees

Spirit of Courage Awards 

Reading, Marion Street – 10/15/2022
Firefighter/EMT Garry Clarke & Firefighter/EMT Joshua Green

 

Reading, Schuylkill Avenue – 10/29/2022
Firefighter/EMT Kevin Ayers, Firefighter/EMT Kieran Dolan, & Firefighter/EMT Ronald Frey

Scranton, Hickory Street – 11/20/2022
Firefig hter Nick Azzarelli, Firefighter Lieutenant Joseph Chesek, Firefighter Kyle Saldonis & Firefighter Captain Matthew McDonald

 

Pottsville, Arch Street – 5/9/2023
Police Officer Michael Hrebik

Palmer Township, Main Street – 5/21/2022
Deputy Fire Chief Jim Alercia, Fire Battalion Chief Ken Sobieski, Police Officer John Billiard, Police Officer Evan Goldstein, Police Officer Kyle Kromer, Police Officer Maurice Burton, Emergency Medical Technician, Christopher Finan, Jr., Paramedic Jeremy Slack, & Dr. Thomas W. Stauffer, DO

West Penn Township, Clamtown Road – 12/7/2022
Assistant Fire Chief Zachary T.A. Paris (Posthumous)
Firefighter Marvin Gruber (Posthumous)

Walter J Okunski Phoenix Award
Leah John

Eleos Award
Jennifer Nagle, RN (Posthumous)

Prevention Partner Award
Fire Chief James Misstishin, Sr.

Chairman’s Award
West Reading, R.M. Palmer Explosion – 3/24/2023
All First Responders involved in incident

 

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2022 Pictures

Thank you to all who attended in 2022!

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2022 Awardees

The Walter J. Okunski Phoenix Award

Chris Kudela | Gilbertsville, PA

Nominator: Elisha Elliott Leavy, Social Worker, Walter Okunski Regional Outpatient Burn Recovery Center, Lehigh Valley Health Network Regional Burn Center

Award is sponsored by MedEvac-LVHN, Department of Public Safety.

The Partner in Prevention Award

B Daniel Dillard | Bethlehem, PA

Nominator: Corissa Rolón, MA CFRE, Executive Director & CEO, Burn Prevention Network

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Kristen Simpson | Scranton Counseling Center, Scranton, PA

Kenneth Moore –  Scranton Counseling Center, Scranton, PA

Michael Ruane – The Prescription Center, Scranton, PA

Nominator: Bill Citino, Scranton Counseling Center, Scranton PA

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Ryan Chu – Eastern Salisbury Fire Department, Allentown, PA
Dennis Takacs, Jr. – Eastern Salisbury Fire Department, Allentown, PA
Richard Rolen – Eastern Salisbury Fire Department, Allentown, PA
Joshua Wells – Western Salisbury Fire Department, Allentown, PA

Nominator: Chief Ian Dodson, Eastern Salisbury Fire Department, Allentown, PA

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Kenneth Brooke, Jr. – City of Reading Department of Fire Rescue, Reading, PA

Nominator: Deputy Chief Michael Glore, City of Reading Department of Fire Rescue, Reading, PA

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Kenneth Brooke, Jr. – City of Reading Department of Fire Rescue, Reading, PA
Matthew Azrolan- City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA
Joshua Green – City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA
Cody Schaeffer – City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA
Timothy Conti – City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA
Jeffrey Schrack – City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA
Patrick Walls – City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA

Nominator: Michael Glore, deputy chief, City of Reading Department of Fire/Rescue Services

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Steven Turner – City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA
Kurtis Knauss – City of Reading/Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Reading, PA

Nominator: Michael Glore, deputy chief, City of Reading Department of Fire/Rescue Services

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Eric Billimoria – Lower Saucon Fire Rescue, Bethlehem, PA
Bryan Evans – Lower Saucon Fire Rescue, Bethlehem, PA
Chris Miller – Dewey Fire Company, Hellertown, PA
Scott Nocek – Lower Saucon Fire Rescue, Bethlehem, PA

Nominator: Fire Chief Ty Johnson and Fire Chief Matt Simkovic, Dewey Fire Company

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Seth Yahraes – Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Company, Wind Gap PA
Paul Strohl – Posthumous award

Nominator:  Chief Alexander Cortezzo III, Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Company

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Benjamin Steidinger – Germansville, PA

Honorable mentions for this award:
Megan Saltsman – Lehigh County 911 Dispatch, Allentown, PA
Shane Devlin – Lehigh County 911 Dispatch, Allentown, PA

Nominator: Deputy Chief Randy Metzger, Chief Jay Scheffler Germansville Fire Department

 

Spirit of Courage Award

Robert Watkins – Nesquehoning, PA
Thomas Kattner – Nesquehoning, PA

Nominator: Fire Chief John McArdle, Nesquehoning Hose Company #1

2022 VPSOC WFMZ Broadcast Event

Broadcast Event