GREAT FALLS — Great Falls Fire Rescue announced on Thursday that Engineer Devon Hagen has been selected as the Great Falls Exchange Club Firefighter of the Year. Hagen began his career with Great Falls Fire Rescue in February 2008.
Exchange Club officials say that each year, they ask fire chiefs from Malmstrom Air Force Base, the Montana Air National Guard, and the City of Great Falls to submit firefighters they think have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
They say all entries were fantastic, but Hagen’s passion to protect others stood out: “The primary thing that I think struck us was when we received his application, all the things he’s done to make sure that firefighters are as safe as possible to do their jobs,” said Great Falls Exchange Club member Mark Bruskotter.
Hagen told MTN News it was a tremendous honor to be awarded firefighter of the year, but that his accomplishments have been a team effort. “My wife’s support and listening to my droning on about numbers, stats and things like that. Just...my family support, just raising me to push for what I think is the right thing to do."
Great Falls Fire Rescue said in a news release:
Devon fills many roles within the ranks at GFFR but has been working feverishly on efforts to protect our firefighters from the risks of cancer. He has created a program that encompasses personal protective clothing testing, maintenance repair and service life tracking. He is also a peer fitness trainer that creates and promotes exercise routines and healthy living. He spends countless hours of his own time serving his brother and sister firefighters and has helped design, install and instruct on scene decontamination procedures that start the process of the reducing exposure to carcinogens that are present during fire responses. He does this as an additional duty while responding to numerous EMS, structure and rescue calls on most shifts he works.His efforts have been noticed by his peers as well as by the departments’ chief officers. We are extremely lucky to have him on our department and as a member of our community!
Hagen and his family were honored at a dinner at Borries Supper Club in Black Eagle hosted by the Exchange Club.
