Firefighters, family members and their friends filled the Bryan County Emergency Services fire station No. 7 Monday for its annual promotional ceremony, badge pinning and Firefighter of the Year award presentation.

Bryan County Chief Freddy Howell opened the ceremony with an invocation and then addressed the attendees and new officers.

Howell described the process to get promoted as a long and draining one with several weeks of intense study, a written and practical test and finishing with an oral interview. 

“A lot of hard work and dedication, along with the support of family and friends, go into the process and it is certainly appropriate to recognize and celebrate all involved,” he said.

Each officer was called up with his or her family member. Howell presented the officer with a badge and the officer’s family member had the privilege of pinning the badge on.

One firefighter was promoted to lieutenant, two firefighters were promoted to captain/training officer, one for North Bryan and one for South Bryan, and one promoted to battalion chief. 

The new officers are: Battalion Chief Rod Kirkland; Capt./Training Officer South Jason Blalock; Capt./Training Officer North Mark Waters; and Lt. John Middleton.

After the badge-pinning ceremony, Howell presented the Firefighter of the Year plaque to firefighter/paramedic Danny Dixon. Dixon was nominated and chosen as the first Firefighter of the Quarter in 2014 and then chosen as the Firefighter of the Year by his co-workers from the quarterly award recipients.