At this past Saturday’s Family Day celebration marking our 50th anniversary, we were honored to recognize the outstanding dedication and service of our department members. These awards represent the best of what LPFPD4 stands for: commitment to our community, excellence in service, and unwavering dedication to protecting those we serve.
2025 Award Recipients
- Paul Vogt Memorial Award: Station 3
- Chief’s Award: Deputy Chief Trey Jackson
- Officer of the Year: Battalion Chief Robert Rainwater
- Firefighter of the Year: Firefighter/Operator Haley Williams
- Rookie of the Year: Cobie Roberts
- Volunteer of the Year: Jeremy Lott
- Most in Station Hours: Mark Lennox
- Most Events: Amanda Jones
- Most Volunteer Training Hours: Sarah Weaver
- Best Jambalaya: The Board of Commissioners Team
Life Saving Award
The following members were recognized for their life-saving actions in service to our community: Kyle Adams, Taylor Bourgoyne, Mark Burgess, Kainnon Champagne, Jimmy Hicks, Kyle Osenenko, Jared Richardson, Robert Rainwater, Daniel Seymour, Treyton Thomas, Austin Williams, and Haley Williams
Years of Service Recognition
We also celebrated the milestone service anniversaries of dedicated members who have committed years of their lives to serving our community:
40 Years: Fire Chief James T. Wascom
30 Years: Leslie Falks
20 Years: Marcus Kenworthy and Daniel Seymour
15 Years: Matthew Gallman
10 Years: Jeremy Lott, Terence Ward, and Jason Wilson
5 Years: Scott Ballard and Kirk Duffy
1 Year: Taylor Bourgoyne, Zachary Causey, Brayden Duncan, Noah Dupepe, Cole Miller, Ashelyn Reeve, Scottie Seymour, and Sarah Weaver
Reflecting on 50 Years of Service
While we couldn’t be more proud of our current members and this year’s award recipients, what we truly enjoyed was the fellowship shared among our current and past members, along with the many stories and memories that came with it. We were proud to showcase our new equipment, technology, and growth to our alumni members, while remaining humble and grateful for our roots and where we started.
From the 1970s through the 1990s, this department was made up entirely of volunteers—many of whom were responsible for everything from rebuilding fire truck motors to cutting the grass. Some even fueled the apparatus out of their own pockets just to respond to emergencies in our community.
Just 25 years ago, we were answering around 2,300 calls a year and had just hired our first part-time firefighter. Nine years ago, we brought on our first full-time firefighters and operated four manned stations. Now, in 2025, we proudly respond to more than 7,000 incidents a year, with six stations manned 24/7 and two additional stations manned during the day.
Thank you to all our current and alumni members, and to their families, for the many years of dedication and sacrifice. Most importantly, thank you to the citizens of our community for 50 years of support and for trusting us to protect your families as we’ve grown together.
Congratulations again to all our 2025 award recipients!
