(L to R): Capt. Robert Tillman, Capt. Matt Ragan, Assistant Fire Chief Ben Allen, and Firefighter Tyler Page

It was a night of honors Monday at the April meeting of the Vidalia City Council. After the Mayor had recognized VFW Auxiliary powerhouse Shirley Curl, and Vidalia High School student Reagan Miller who recently signed a $200 K music scholarship to Berry College, it was time to honor those who project and serve.

Vidalia Fire Department Chief Brian Sikes was the first to recognize four firefighters within his department. Chief Sikes.

The Fire Chief noted that Assistant Chief Ben Allen and Capt. Matt Ragan recently completed courses from The Georgia Fire Academy at The Georgia Public Safety Training Center. Asst. Chief Allen completed a 64-hour course and received his NPQ Fire Officer 3 certification. Capt. Ragan completed a 110-hr. course and received his NPQ Fire Officer 1 certification.

Capt. Robert Tillman completed the 24-hour Spartan Endurance Challenge. The Georgia Spartan Firefighter Course is a 1 day/24-hour class and recaps basic firefighter skills and then increases the students’ skill set with other way to accomplish these skills. For the 24 hours of the course, the participants do not sleep, and Chief Sikes also noted that Capt. Tillman was the oldest participant in his class.

Chief Sikes also introduced the newest member of the Vidalia Fire Department, Firefighter Tyler Page, who graduated after an eight-week training course from the Fire Academy in Forsyth just Monday. He received his NPQ Firefighter 1 certification and received an award for Most Improved. Firefighter Page was the selected as the class speaker at the graduation ceremony.