2022 Firefighter of the Year

The 2022 Marco Island Fire Rescue Foundation Firefighter of the Year, Captain Paramedic Jeffery Kutzke

On September 28, 2022, as Hurricane Ian was paralleling the Marco Island coast, Fire Rescue units were deployed to recon the south end of the Island and Goodland to report conditions to the Emergency Operations Center. The Departments only High-Water capable vehicle was sent to Goodland. Upon arrival in Goodland, the Captain quickly reported rapidly rising floodwater conditions. The next communication significantly got our attention, the Captain radio’d that they had numerous residents at risk of being overcome by floodwaters and they were initiating rescues. Firefighters walked through floodwaters rising in excess of 4 feet to assist residents to the vehicle. After loading approximately 12 residents and dogs, of course, into the vehicle they exited Goodland to a staging point at MIA where they were met by Marco Police Officers and Firefighters to be transported to a safe location. The Captain then radio’d that they were returning to Goodland to rescue additional residents. They re-entered Goodland two additional times rescuing a total of 35 people and pets. Leaving Goodland following the third rescue attempt, the Captain recognized the flood waters approaching the bottom of the windshield, approximately 7 feet, along with a swift current pushing the vehicle off the road. He noted the conditions posed a significant threat to the safety of his crew and occupants, and that Goodland was overcome by floodwaters and inaccessible. He notified the EOC that all residents who wanted to leave Goodland had been removed.  But it didn’t end there.  

The Captain and his crew were re-assigned to areas of the City that were now experiencing the same rapidly rising flood waters, the Captain and his crew rescued another 13 residents while operating in 6-7 feet of floodwaters.

All told, the Captain and his crew are responsible for the rescue of 50 people who safety was at risk due to the storm conditions.

Also recognized are the crew who worked themselves to exhaustion, they are Firefighter Paramedic Gabe Sigler, Engineer Ken Stenback, Firefighter Paramedic Steve Gaskill, Firefighter Paramedic Juan Cabezas, Firefighter Paramedic Tony Santovenia and Police Officers Josh Ferris and Will Prigge.

In recognition of Captain Jeffrey Kutzke's exemplary leadership exhibited during this significant rescue effort, he led his personnel, kept them safe and successfully rescued those in peril and delivered them to a safe location out of harm’s way, he is the unanimous recipient of the 2022 Firefighter of the Year Award.