Richard Kennedy has been named the 2014 Kidder Township Emergency Services Person of the Year.

The presentation was made Thursday at the Kidder Township board of supervisors' meeting by Ralph Lennon, chairman of the township fire commission.A volunteer firefighter with the Lake Harmony Fire Company, Kennedy started out volunteering his services by helping to restore a fire truck. Along the way he brought in more volunteers to assist with the restoration, eventually completing the job at a cost of $7,000, a savings of $43,000 to the taxpayers.Kennedy later joined the fire company as a driver and continues to help maintain the fire apparatus at Lake Harmony.The Kidder Township Fire Commission annually recognizes personnel from the three township volunteer fire departments as well as the ambulance service for duty that exemplifies service to the community."Every year each of the services nominates an individual to receive this award," Lennon said Thursday. "Each company submits a two-page letter on behalf of these individuals."Lennon said the letters are then reviewed anonymously by a committee, which makes the decision on who should be chosen. The nominees are invited to attend the August supervisors' meeting where the Emergency Services Person of the Year is announced.This year only the three fire companies nominated individuals for the award."The three men nominated all made outstanding contributions to not only their companies, but to the township as a whole," Lennon said.In addition to Kennedy, the other nominees were Charles "CJ" McFeely from Albrightsville Volunteer Fire Company, and Rob Hill from Kidder Volunteer Fire Company.McFeely, 17, is a junior firefighter with the company. He has also completed his EMT training and will complete the balance of his courses when he turns 18. He took third in a National Junior Firefighters competition held in Disney World, and has had the dubious distinction of answering a fire call to fight a fire at his own home.Hill is the Captain of the Kidder Volunteer Fire Company Fire Police Unit. He was praised for always being present."Rob Hill is always there to keep us safe," was quoted from his nomination letter.