West Hartford Fire Department Apparatus Operator Steeve Parent was honored Feb. 10, 2021 as the American Legion Hayes-Velhage Post 96 2020 Firefighter of the Year, and although the ceremony involved a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was actions Parent took without delay that were credited for saving a man’s life.
Battalion Chief Jarrad Smith informed a group who gathered at Station No. 2 – kept small due to the pandemic and including just immediate family, department leadership, and a few town officials – that department members choose one of their own to receive the Post 96 award.
“Past award recipients include department members who have rescued civilians in the course of duty, those who have performed highly meritorious service to the department, and those who have given back to the community in large and meaningful ways,” Smith said.