POST FALLS — It’s been a difficult year of departmental obstacles and personal hardships, Fire Chief Pete Holley said, but after all that Kootenai County Fire and Rescue went through in 2025, he said he was proud of his team.
KCFR recognized exceptional service, leadership and community partnership during its recent awards banquet, including a new award posthumously named for Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, which prioritizes mentorship, physical fitness and raising standards.
“Frank was known as a little bit of a knife collector, specifically Buck Knives and the award itself has a custom one-of-a-kind Buck Knife attached to the plaque,” Holley said. “It’s the Frank J. Harwood Award of Excellence and it only makes sense to give it posthumously in the first year to Frank.”
Retired firefighter Kenny Peterson received the Commissioner’s Award for keeping mental health among the staff afloat in the wake of Harwood’s death June 29.
Instead of “riding off into the sunset,” Holley said Peterson returned to his old duties on the peer support team.
“He immediately was a constant presence in our building and for our people for weeks afterwards,” Holley said. “Probably the best hug you can get is a Kenny Peterson hug — and he was dealing those out left and right when they were needed most.”
The Dedication and Devotion Award, generally considered the highest honor for KCFR, went to Maurice Wagner. Holley said when the department needs someone versatile enough for just about any job, they can count on him.
Wagner also works as a complementary SWAT medic with the Kootenai County SWAT medic program, can function as a drone pilot and is part of the rescue task force.
“He’s been a bit of a Swiss Army knife for us, he fills so many roles in our organization, he has so many credentials that he can fill any hole when there’s a need,” Holley said.
Ryan Jaderquist was named Firefighter of the Year because of his growth in stepping up into an instructor for the department’s training academy.
“He’s gone through an evolution for us this past year,” Holley said. “That really put Ryan in a unique situation where he has these brand-new firefighters that he can mentor, that he can teach and train and it really highlighted his skills and abilities as a mentor.”
The EMS Provider of the Year award went to Tyler Armistead for quickly becoming an EMS lead and mentoring others.
“He’s really stepped up and provided a lot of leadership,” Holley said.
The KCFR Rookie of the Year, Daniel McDevitt, was selected despite having no firefighting experience, but quickly made up the difference by training hard and seeking extra education on his own.
“It takes a lot more personal effort, a lot more perseverance, a lot more training and he has tackled all of that in fantastic fashion and has really stepped up and is just a go-to guy,” Holley said.
The department named the Red and Blue Foundation as Business of the Year, recognizing its continued support of first responders and dedication to strengthening public safety initiatives.
KCFR also awarded recognitions of years of service during the award ceremony:
• Justin Capaul, 25 years
• Matt Dilley, 20 years
• Joshua Miller, Tony Blasick and Scott Oliver, 10 years
• Jeffrey Burnworth, Cory Evenson, Daniel Klassen, Mathew Lee, Craig Taylor, Brandon Welch and Cameron Taylor, five years
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Pete Holley.
Maurice Wagner receives the Dedication and Devotion award from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. Pictured: Mitchell Copstead, Brooks Brown, Maurice Wagner, Kevin Lawler, Pete Holley, Justin Capaul, Rusty Kramer
Kenny Peterson (retired) accepted the Kenny Peterson Brotherhood and Sisterhood award from IAFF Local 2856 on Friday. Pictured: Justin Zabel, Brooks Brown, Kenny Peterson, Craig Taylor, Jeff Populus, Kyan Zimmerman, Conner Peery and Bryon Smith.