VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - The Valdosta Exchange Club has named 2018's Firefighter of the Year.
According to a press release sent Friday, Ken Taylor began his employment with the City of Valdosta Fire Department in November of 2011 and currently holds the position of Sergeant.
In March, Sgt. Taylor and his wife were returning home from Orlando when a vehicle crash happened in front of them and without hesitation, Sgt. Taylor reacted to the scene.
Sgt. Taylor went in the vehicle and found the driver pinned and a three-year-old in a car seat.
Realizing that he could not help the driver, he immediately checked the child for injuries and removed him from the vehicle.
Documents say, after handing the child to the other bystanders, Sgt. Taylor returned to the driver and remained with her until the local first responders arrived and assumed patient care.
“This was a big surprise to me, I’m just a humble man who still has a passion to serve my community. Service is what I got into the business for and I still love it today," said Sgt. Taylor. "We do a lot of training, we train to train some more and train some more. It gets us ready for whatever we come up against, no matter if it’s in Valdosta or that morning in Orlando.”
Taylor was also named the City of Valdosta employee of the month in July.
“Sgt. Taylor exemplifies duty, service, courage, and obligation to his craft and his fellow man. During his career with the City, Sgt. Taylor has mentored and counted countless firefighters in both their personal and professional lives,” said Chief Broome.
