VIDEO: The Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service paid tribute to a fallen firefighter who was shot on the job with a special award named in his honor during its recent graduation ceremony.
On Thursday, BFRS presented the first-ever “Jordan E. Melton Leadership Award” for outstanding first-year recruits. Melton was shot while on duty at Fire Station 9 on July 12, 2023, just months after graduating from the academy. Five days later, Melton died.
Melton’s mother, Rochelle Gaston Malone, was on hand to present the award to Byron Wesley who, like her son, had dreams of being a firefighter since he was a boy. “It was bittersweet but extremely honoring and proud to know that they thought enough of Jordan and who he was and the character of the person he was to create an award that recognized him and memorialized him,” Malone remarked.