Jumpline magazine February 2025 - Flipbook - Page 52
52
Homestead Fire昀椀ghter of the Year Award
City of Homestead’s Fire昀椀ghter of the
Year Award
We come to work prepared for a beat
down. A shift of minimal rest, re-heated
dinners, no thanks for our service and
the expectation that we’ll keep on grinding at 100%. This is our job. We enjoy it
and we “embrace the suck.” If we didn’t
have these memorable shifts, there
would be no good stories to tell.
An occasional thank you or offer of cafecito in a home goes a
long way for us. People love us and they always have since the
昀椀rst Fire Bucket Brigades. Why? Because we are the good guys.
We show up to save lives and solve problems. Then we move on
to the next alarm.
We have Medal Day where we are recognized by our peers
through the Board of Merit. This is a long standing tradition, and
we are grateful for this annual event. Having a balance between
recognition and allowing us to do our job is a delicate one. Nonetheless, having our members know what they are thought of is the
seed that will sprout when watered properly.
In 2022, I met City of Homestead Councilwoman Jenifer Bailey at an alarm during Homestead’s Fourth of July event. She
introduced herself and was thankful for our services. During our
conversation, I could tell she had an in depth knowledge of our
obligations to the city and how we provided those services to the
city and its residents. She wanted to go beyond what was expected of us and asked how the city and MDFR could build a more
personal relationship with open communications. She was open
to ideas and was willing to develop collaborative efforts to incorporate MDFR into the city’s community events and projects.
I pitched my 昀椀rst idea; I mentioned the city recognizes a police
of昀椀cer every month. I asked if the city would recognize one of our
昀椀re昀椀ghters once a year. She loved the idea of “Fire昀椀ghter of the
Year” and our relationship with the City of Homestead took a new
direction with a more relaxed, community based approach.
After several meetings with city staff and the city attorney, we
were given the approval to initiate, for the 昀椀rst time in the City
of Homestead’s history, a “Fire昀椀ghter of the Year” award. A committee
was formed and research was conducted on how other departments
nationwide select their “Fire昀椀ghter of
CFO Ricardo Centeno-Battalion 10A
the Year”. We developed our own criteria using that data. It was
decided that only City of Homestead residents could submit nominations for 昀椀re昀椀ghters that worked at stations within city limits. An
online submission application was developed with an open and
close out date.
The City of Homestead’s 昀椀rst “Fire昀椀ghter of the Year” award
ceremony was held in 2023. Captain Donald Champion received
the accolade. The second recipient was Lieutenant Juan Reyes.
Lieutenant Reyes has a CR route in Battalion 10 and was nominated by several residents in a variety of areas within the city.
After considering the nominations, the committee made its recommendation, and the 2024 “Fire昀椀ghter of the Year” was chosen.
I asked Lieutenant Reyes to share a little bit about himself for this
article.
Lt. Reyes on his journey to get here:
I began my career over two decades ago in the Lehigh Acres
Fire Control & Rescue District, where I had the privilege to serve
the community for approximately 10 years. This foundational experience allowed me to develop essential skills and a deep commitment to public safety and service.
In 2013, I was honored to join the Town of Palm Beach Fire Department, where I quickly advanced to the rank of Lieutenant. My
tenure there was marked not only by professional growth but also
by a dedication to expanding my knowledge and expertise. To
that end, I pursued and completed a bachelor’s degree in public
administration, strengthening my ability to lead and manage effectively within the public sector.
In 2015, I achieved my long-held dream of becoming a member
of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue team. Serving the community of
Homestead has been one of the most rewarding experiences of
my career, allowing me to contribute meaningfully to the safety
and well-being of its residents. Being chosen “Fire昀椀ghter of the
Year” is an incredible honor, underscoring my commitment to excellence and dedication to service.
Beyond my professional life, I am deeply grateful for my wonderful family. They inspire me daily, and I strive to be a role model for
my children, demonstrating the values of hard work, integrity, and
compassion.
March 2025 | JUMPLINE Magazine
