Three firefighters who serve the Central Valley were honored Wednesday by their peers.
The awards are presented by the Exchange Club of Fresno, but the nominees are selected by fellow firefighters.
And this year, the honor went to chief Brad Driscoll with Fresno Fire, Jose Sanchez with the US Forest Service and battalion chief Jeremiah Wittwer with Cal Fire.
Chief Wittwer personally lead the mission to recover the remains of firefighter Braden Varney who was killed in the line of duty during the Ferguson Fire.
Cal Fire Chief Mark Johnson says, "In addition to the emotional task, fire conditions were intense which further complicated the severity of the situation. Chief Wittwer accepted the task without hesitation."
Each firefighter was presented with a plaque and letters of appreciation from local leaders.