Klein Fire Annual Valor Awards

Honoring the Heroic Efforts of Klein’s Brave Firefighters

| KLEIN, TX. October 28, 2023 | The Klein Fire Department held its first annual valor awards on Saturday, October 28, 2023. The Department bestowed 61 members of the Klein Fire Department with honorifics that were a testament to their steadfast courage

in the face of stressful emergency situations and perilous conditions.

Fifty-three members of the Department were awarded the Texas State First Responder Medal that recognizes members who were on duty during the State-declared disaster that was Winter Storm Uri in February 2021.

The Meritorious Achievement Medal was awarded to ten members for distinguished conduct performed by their engine crews. Their actions resulted in saving a life via first aid response or by direct action.

The third highest valor award, the Medal of Merit, was awarded to four members who performed beyond what is normally expected in an emergency incident.

The Medal of Valor is the second highest award for valor and was awarded to two members for acting with selfless courage and heroism. The Medal of Valor is for those who distinguish themselves in “ordinary” acts of courage. They have performed a voluntary act of heroism in the face of danger to themselves. In an act of life saving or attempted lifesaving, the Medal of Valor recipient is one who displays extreme and heroic daring at the risk of one’s own life.

The Department is proud to recognize these members and their families for their actions and how humbly they display our core values of Honor, Integrity, Courage, Duty, and Sacrifice. However, medal or no medal, each of our members are heroes in our eyes.

Texas State First Responder Medal Recipients

Lane Ankenman

Marc Arnaud

Brent A. Baines

Bary Blum

Sam Bosley, Captain

Anthony Bui

John Chapman

Jacob L. Cochran, Captain

Aaron Connor, Captain

Dustin Creager, District Chief

Jeff M. Dean, Captain

Shawn Donald, Sr. Captain

David Evans

Efrain Flores

Aaron Ford

Chad L. Foreman, Captain

Garrett Frazier

Matthew S. Frederick

Michael J. Garcia, Captain

Chris George

Travis Gipson

Raul A. Guzman

Dave Harrington, Captain

Thomas S. Harris

Mason P. Keller

Jason Kinkead

Stephen E. Kramer, Deputy Chief

Stephen N. Kramer, Captain

Brian J. Lewis

Meritorious Achievement Medal Recipients

Engine 37

Michael Garcia, Captain

Jason Kinkead, Engineer

Mario Camacho, Firefighter

Aaron Ford, Firefighter

Eric Freeman, Firefighter

Engine 37

Thomas Harris, Engineer

Adrian Dillehay, Firefighter

John Roehrig, III, Firefighter

Engine 36

Matthew Pentifallo, Captain

Chris Vollenweider, Firefighter

Medal of Merit Recipients

Rescue 33

Matthew Frederick, Firefighter

Cole Kennedy, Firefighter

Jakob Stauder, Firefighter

Engine 31

Tyler Sawtell, Engineer

Medal of Valor Recipients

Engine 31

Gentry O’Connor, Firefighter

Jacob Perez, Firefighter

Rocky Maglio

Leonard T. Manos

Steven McHenry, District Chief

Alberto Medina

Martín Milan, Captain

Sergio Mireles, Captain

Caleb Moncure, Captain

Jason Mouser, Captain

Carl Nedzel

Keaton Ognoskie, Captain

Edgar Olan

Fran Orlandino

Thomas Oswald

Christian Parsons, District Chief

Matthew Pentifallo, Captain

Roderick C. Punch

Joel B. Rivera

Keith R. Sagray, Captain

Jakob Stauder

Owon Sturman, District Chief

Pavit Techachaiponpoj

Tim Vatuna, District Chief

Chris Vollenweider

Stephen M. Wade, Captain

Jay Watson, Division Chief

Christopher J. Wisnowski