2018 Firefighter Award Recipients

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Today, Fire Chief Robert Rocha proudly announced the 2018 Firefighter of the Year and Inspector of the Year awards.

Battalion Chief Juan “Tony” Perez was named the 2018 Firefighter of the Year. For assisting in the rescue of an elderly person, Perez was awarded the Medal of Valor, the department’s second highest award. He holds himself and his crew to the highest standard in all aspects including general duties and emergency scenes. Co-workers praise Chief Perez for taking on additional responsibilities, such as hazmat, rescue training, and career development. Perez has served the department since 2002 and is assigned to Fire Station #5 (3105 Leopard Street.)

Firefighter II Engineer John Honeycutt is the recipient of the 2018 Inspector of the Year. He has been with the department more than 20 years. In 2011, Honeycutt was assigned to the Fire Prevention Division where he became a certified Fire Inspector through the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. He is knowledgeable in the field of fire codes, inspection, and testing procedures. Over the last year, Honeycutt worked to ensure Island businesses and hotels affected by Hurricane Harvey are safe for owners and visitors.

The award recipients are nominated by field personnel and selected based on their commitment and service to the citizens of Corpus Christi.