The city of Fort Myers Fire Department has presented its annual awards.
Each December a committee gathers to review nominations that have been submitted by members of the fire department throughout the year.
The winners include:
— Firefighter of the Year — Bilal Abdullah.
The award is given for a highly credible accomplishment or outstanding service to the fire department.
Bilal Abdullah has been with the city of Fort Myers Fire Department since November 2007. Abdullah has played a large part in the fire safety education program with children in the community. Often he will go to local classrooms on his days off and spend time with the children. He is part of the Big Brother program, and he frequently gives motivational talks to children, letting them know that they can do anything that they set their minds to.
In early September, Abdullah held a fund-raiser to purchase school supplies. He then went shopping and delivered a car full of notebooks, pencils, backpacks and more to two local elementary schools. Students who may not have been able to afford supplies were able to start the year off right thanks to his efforts.
— Paramedic of the Year — Engineers Juan Salinas Jeremy Fischer.
The award is presented for a highly credible accomplishment or outstanding service to the fire department by a paramedic or EMT related to the medical program.
Juan Salinas has been with the city of Fort Myers Fire Department since March 2005 and Jeremy Fischer since December 2006.
They were selected for their continued dedication to the medical division. They have spent a lot of their time helping other firefighters train and become credentialed paramedics. They are also recognized for their excellent customer service.
For information, call 321-7322.

Source: Fort Myers Fire Department