Photos courtesy of Botetourt Fire & EMS
Members of Botetourt Fire & EMS gathered Feb. 27 at the Hickory Hill Event Center in Buchanan to recognize outstanding service in 2025 and to mark the beginning of the department’s 25th year serving the community.
Department leaders presented annual awards honoring both career and volunteer personnel during the ceremony, highlighting achievements in firefighting, emergency medical services and leadership.
Among the top recognitions, Rebecca Pruitt was named Career Rookie of the Year, while James Milstead of Troutville received the Volunteer Rookie of the Year award.
Jakob East earned Career Firefighter of the Year honors, and Bella Simmons of Fincastle was recognized as Volunteer Firefighter of the Year.
In emergency medical services, Douglas Gillispie was named Career EMS Provider of the Year, and Hannah Mizuba was selected as Volunteer EMS Provider of the Year for her countywide service.
Leadership awards were also presented. Kayla Jones received Career Officer of the Year, and Ethan Wright of Fincastle was named Volunteer Officer of the Year.
The department also recognized personnel involved in three EMS incidents that met the criteria for Lifesaver Ribbons, awarded to responders whose actions contributed to saving a life.
Recipients were Andrew Moore, Travis Alderman, Kevin Bradbury, Noah Bell, Douglas Gillispie, Michael Beuggert, Marquise Williams, Nichlas Wiley, Jakym White, Travis Cimenillo, Bryce Cort, Matthew Scott, Douglas Anthony, John McMahon, Nick Delaney, Nathan Shields, Corey Minnix and Jamal Al-Maliki.
Department officials said the awards ceremony also served as an opportunity to highlight the agency’s accomplishments over the past year and promote the release of its 2025 annual report.
The report outlines response statistics, department initiatives and operational highlights from the past year. It is available online through the Botetourt County government website.
Officials encouraged residents to review the report to learn more about the department’s work and ongoing service to the county.
The 2025 report can be viewed at: https://www.botetourtva.gov/870/Annual-Report.
~ Fincastle Herald staff report
