Firefighters were honored Wednesday night in Santa Maria at the 46th annual Firefighter Appreciation Night at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge.
Firefighters who serve in the immediate area — along with friends and family — were invited to a night out featuring a Santa Maria-style barbecue dinner and an awards ceremony for a handful of firefighters recognized for their service.
Five firefighters were awarded Firefighter of the Year awards at their respective departments, including Seth Rodenberger of the U.S. Forest Service.
"There have been a lot of great people that have come before me," said Rodenberger, who is a crewmember of the Arroyo Grande Hotshots, part of the U.S. Forest Service. "And, really, it's just honoring them for me tonight and just being thankful for the opportunity to be here and work where I work."
The other winners were Fire Engineer David Bonifacio of the City of Guadalupe Fire Department; Captain Cesar Martinez of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department; Vandenberg Fire Department Battalion Chief Daniel L. Brun; and Santa Maria Fire Department Fire Engineer Orlando Viera Serrano.
