2023 Servpro Awards

LAFCRD Firefighters Recognized as 2023 Servpro First Responder Award Recipients 

Firefighter Paramedic Christopher Cazanas and Firefighter EMT Jonathan Maldonado were recognized today by Servpro of Southwest and Central Florida as recipients of their 2023 First Responder Awards. Phil Metzler, a local representative for Servpro, presented the awards to Cazanas and Maldonado today at their station in Lehigh Acres. "Servpro believes in exceeding a customer's expectations, and we believe in recognizing our local first responders who go above and beyond what is expected of them," stated Metzler. "It's an honor to highlight these firefighters today and celebrate their dedication to going the extra mile for the community they serve." 

This recognition stems from a traffic crash on October 23, 2023, involving a car and an elderly man on a bicycle. Firefighter Paramedic Christopher Cazanas and Firefighter EMT Jonathan Maldonado responded to the crash and transported the man on the bicycle to the hospital following the crash. They collected the bags of groceries that were in the man's bike basket, bringing them to the hospital so staff could store them until the man was discharged. After learning that the bicycle (now destroyed) was his only mode of transportation, Cazanas and Maldonado felt called to help and ensure the man would still have his independence when discharged from the hospital. They headed straight to Walmart after leaving the hospital and purchased a new bicycle for the injured man. Working together, they removed the man's baskets from his old bicycle and installed them on the new one.

"It was a crew effort," stated Cazanas. "We ended up getting another call for service as we were finishing with the baskets, so our other crew members assisted with the delivery of the bicycle to the hospital." Reflecting on receiving recognition for their actions, Cazanas said they hadn't expected it. "We just knew we had to help, and for us, it was bigger than the bike. We wanted to remind the man that he wasn't alone and also put some extra good out into the world." 

Additional information on Servpro and their first responder awards can be found on their website, www.servpro.com. 

Link to the original Facebook post with photos: https://www.facebook.com/100069189700129/posts/636389235344061/?mibextid=WC7FNe