Yakima Fire Department officials recognized some of the best in the department when the department presented its 2019 annual awards over the past few weeks during a series of Zoom videos. Recipients were nominated by their peers in early 2020. The award ceremony was originally scheduled for earlier this spring then re-scheduled and later canceled due to COVID-19. "Rusty Hauber Outstanding Achievement Award – John Shahan “He is thought of as being one of the most skilled firefighters the Yakima Fire Department has had the honor of employing,” the nomination for Shahan stated. “He takes his job extremely seriously and ensures that he is a complete expert on any subject deemed necessary for him to know. When on the scene of complicated incidents, it is always this person the younger firefighters look to for confirmation if they are doing the right things. When in the station or while training, it is this person who sets the tone for the quality of work that is expected and people follow.”