KENT, Conn. – The Kent Volunteer Fire Department and its members continue to take center stage.
While the department recognized its members for outstanding service at its Feb. 1 membership and awards ceremony, the department itself was honored just one week before for its service and dedication to the region.
The accolades were bestowed by the Greater New Milford Chamber of Commerce at its 25th awards gala held at the Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury.
KVFD joined 11 other volunteer first responder organizations in the area in receiving the Silver Resilience Award, a special award crafted this year for volunteer companies in the Greater New Milford area.
The theme of this year’s gala was “25 Years of Resilience,” given this was the 25th gala.
“We cannot express enough how invaluable our community’s volunteer emergency responders are,” Chamber Executive Director Bob Reiling said. “They are there every minute of the day for us. They exude courage and demonstrate resilience.”
“The past 25 years have been laden with key events such as 9/11, the 2007-08 economic crisis and the Covid pandemic, among others,” said Reiling. “The Chamber and the majority of local businesses are still standing through all of those trying times.”
One group of individuals that has been affected by many of those key events, specifically 9/11 and the Covid pandemic, are first responders.
“When the committee thought about all that has happened in the past 25 years, we not only thought about how events impacted businesses, we recognized how they effected volunteer first responders,” Reiling said, explaining how the Silver Resilience Award came about.
The Silver Resilience Award was first presented to Water Witch Hose Co. #2 in New Milford, which will display the award for one month before passing it on to the next company, and so on.
In addition, each company was given a plaque commemorating the occasion, and to thank the companies for their dedication and service.
