Customer service, dedication and brotherhood has long been the credo of the Lady’s Island-St. Helena Fire District and it has also long been the guiding principle behind Firefighter Keith Kelley, who was honored by the department and his peers this past weekend as the 2011 Firefighter of the Year.
Keith has been a member of the district for nine years and from the start he has been a leader amongst many. Keith currently holds the position of company officer and discharges his duties with a fair hand as it relates to his personnel and a sharp tactical mind on each emergency scene. He is the chairman of the firefighters board at the department and has been integral in the maintenance and upkeep of the stations that so many firefighters call home every third day.
Keith received his award at the department’s annual Christmas party in the presence of his wife who is currently pregnant with the couple’s first children (twins).
“Keith is a go to guy when it comes to the welfare of his fellow firefighters,” stated Lee Levesque a fellow firefighter.
In the process of voting, all firefighters in the district were asked to not only nominate their choice but to offer examples and justification of their choice. The nomination forms were returned with comments such as, “he exemplifies brotherhood and sets a great example for the rest of us to follow,” “a guy that does the right thing because it is the right thing to do!”
Chief Brice Kline said, “Keith is an excellent firefighter and very deserving of the award.”
