December 6, 2023

Four members of the Perrysburg Fire Division have been recognized for going beyond the call of duty. Awards for Firefighter of the Year, Fire Officer of the Year and Merit Awards were presented during the December 5, 2023, City Council meeting. 

Merit Awards were given to Joe Brainard and John Cannon. Brainard was nominated by his peers for his exemplary and dedicated work on the heart monitor project.  

“Joe took on the thankless task of investigating replacement heart monitors for our EMS program,” said Fire Chief William McCullough. “Our paramedics use these monitors on nearly every call, so the task of researching what fits our system best was an arduous task.” Cannon was recognized for the work he did overhauling the Station 38 triage room. One of his peers wrote, “Joe singlehandedly turned a cluttered mess of a room into a functional space for us to treat and assess patients that walk into the station looking for help.” 

   
                       Joe Brainard, Merit Award                                                        John Cannon, Merit Award

Chief McCullough also praised Cannon for helping to mentor new hires and part-time staff.  

“John is a humble person and has an amazing work ethic,” he said. 

The 2023 Firefighter of the Year award was formally presented to Ryan Helwig. Helwig was recognized by the Perrysburg Exchange Club earlier this year. He received not only the greatest number of nominations but also the most thoughtful and detailed ones. Some of the comments include that Ryan: “exceeds expectations and has a witty sense of humor,” “is the first to step up and lend a hand when needed,” and “is a very bright paramedic who shows genuine compassion for all patients.” 

   
                     Ryan Helwig, Firefighter of the Year                                         Lt. Al Bagdonas, Fire Officer of the Year

The 2023 Fire Officer of the Year was presented to Lt. Alan Bagdonas.  

“Solid leadership is at the heart of any exceptional organization, including ours,” said Chief McCullough. “Lt. Bagdonas is a very task-oriented leader who remains focused on our mission. He goes above and beyond what is required and helps to keep his shift moving forward.” 

Pictured L-R: Fire Chief William McCullough, Joe Brainard, John Cannon, Al Bagdonas, Ryan Helwig, Director of Public Safety, Chief Patrick Jones