Chief Gagel pins Firefighter of the Year Leo Moran at the Annual Firemen’s Dinner on March 12.
During the annual Orange Volunteer Fire Department dinner on Tuesday, March 12, Chief Charlie Gagel revealed the 2012 Firefighter of the Year.
Each year, during the introduction, the crowd often is still guessing who won until the name is announced, but not this year.
By about the eighth sentence when the Chief said, “I’d like to say that this person stood head and shoulders above the rest, but he didn’t – you’ll see why,” (as seen in this VIDEO) the room started buzzing, and the choice was apparent.
Leo Moran, the 2012 Firefighter of the Year joined the OVFD in the mid 1970s and has served faithfully since.
Now in his 70s, Leo drives trucks to fire calls and happily assists at the public education visits at schools, the senior events, fairs, etc. He runs the Raffle Tent at the Firemen’s Carnival each year and is there every day for as long as I can remember, and he’s the one who recruited me to announce every day at that event for the past couple of years.
For those of us how know Leo Moran, you’d agree that he is a nice, kind, humble, hard-working man who loves the town of Orange and being a public servant. His wife is supportive of his passion for volunteerism and more often than not accompanies him to fire department events (dinners, fundraisers, the carnival).
Some call him Lucky Leo. I can’t disagree. He has a loving wife, great friends and after winning the Firefighter of the Year award took home the jackpot for the 50/50 raffle as well.
For both the room erupted in thunderous applause.
Everybody loves Leo. Congratulations Leo, you deserve it.
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