Hattiesburg, Mississippi – Engineer Robert Smith was recently named Hattiesburg Fire Department’s Firefighter of the year.

This award is given annually to one firefighter who always performs above expectations and who continues to be a positive role model for younger firefighters.

“Engineer Smith is a firefighter who leads by example. While we have several who go above and beyond in their job responsibilities, Engineer Smith stood out for his consistency in going the extra mile while also paying attention to those younger than him,” said Assistant Chief Danny Wade. “He works hard to help others – both the public and his colleagues – and for these reasons and more, he was named Firefighter of the Year.”

Nominations are taken from supervisors with a final decision made by administrative staff.

His nomination included the following quotes:

“ENG Robert Smith is deserving of this award because of his professionalism and performance throughout his career.”
“ENG Smith has always been eager to learn and volunteers to assist the department whenever needed. He continues to try and mentor younger firefighters and guide them throughout the beginning years of their fire service.”
“ENG Smith continues to perform well at incidents as a young engineer and has displayed confidence when responding to emergencies.”

Smith has worked for the department for seven years, graduating from the Hattiesburg Fire Training Academy in October of 2013.

“We have the best first responders in the state and Engineer Smith is a prime example of that,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “His commitment to serve his community is evident, but his legacy will be rooted in how he continues to invest in those who come after him.”