VFW Wahkiakum Post 5297 honors local emergency responders

Each year, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United State selects an emergency medical technician, a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, and new for this year, a 911 dispatcher to receive Public Servant Awards. Local VFW Posts submit a winner from each category to their State VFW Department Headquarters. The department then selects a single winner for each of the four awards and submit those to VFW National Headquarters.

The VFW National Emergency Medical Technician Public Servant Award applies to any individual, who actively gives emergency medical treatment, provides rescue service or civil disaster assistance as a member of any public or volunteer company organized to give emergency medical care, provide rescue and civil disaster assistance to our nation's citizens.

The VFW National Law Enforcement Public Servant Award applies to any individual who serves in a municipal, county, state or federal unit tasked with enforcement of the laws pertaining to their area of responsibility. This award does not apply to individuals employed by private companies or security services.

The VFW National Firefighters Public Servant Award applies to any individual who actively fights fires as a member of any public or volunteer company organized to fight fires and give assistance to our nation's citizens.

The VFW National 911 Dispatcher Public Servant Award applies to any individual who serves in municipal, county, state or federal unit tasked with providing the vital link between callers in distress and emergency response teams by obtaining essential information to send the appropriate responders to the right location.

Candidates must have demonstrated recognition by their colleagues or those they serve; consistent excellence in the performance of their duties; and consistent dedication to their official responsibilities and skills within their profession.

The agencies contacted to submit their candidates were the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office, District 8 Detachment of the Washington State Patrol, Cathlamet Fire Department, and Fire Districts 1-4.

For 2022-2023, Wahkiakum VFW Post 5297 has selected the following members of our community for each category. On Jan 5, at the Cathlamet Fire Hall, EMT Justin Rainey was presented with the EMT Award. On Jan 11, at the Wahkiakum County Courthouse Meeting Room, Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office Sergeant John Mason was presented with the Law Enforcement Award and 911 Dispatcher/Correction Officer, Asa Robbins, was presented with the 911 Dispatcher Award. On Jan 12, at the District 4 Fire Hall, Firefighter Randall Coleman, was presented with the Firefighter Award. Each winner was given a certificate, a plaque and a cash award of $100. All three Post award packages have been sent to the Washington State VFW Department for consideration and hopefully on to the VFW National Headquarters.