Afirefighter with the “heart of a teacher” has been honored as the city of La Crosse Fire Department Firefighter of the Year. Engineer and EMT Bryon Stein was honored Feb. 2 during a virtual ceremony at the main fire station in La Crosse.
“Anyone who is looking for an answer ... they seek Brian out for his leadership,” said assistant fire chief of operations Jeff Murphy. “He has the heart of a teacher, and he shares his knowledge both formally and informally around the fire department. He’s the go-to person for just about anyone here.” Stein has worked for the department for 25 years. He said it takes teamwork to run an effective fire department, and he thanked his fellow firefighters and the community for their support.
“I’m just one spoke in the wheel,” Stein said. “I’m just one of the guys who tries to keep the ball moving forward.”