Award recipients include first responders and volunteers in fire, law enforcement, EMS, telecommunications, and support services.

“The Washington County Chamber of Commerce is proud and honored to recognize the brave efforts of our public safety and health care professionals,” says Chamber President and CEO Paul Frey. “Every day these professionals go above and beyond the call of duty to protect the lives of our citizens and the property of our homes and businesses. It is a pleasure to be able to publicly give them our sincere thanks and gratitude for all that they do on the behalf of others, often without public recognition.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________

There are three levels of Medal of Valor Awards: gold, silver, and bronze. The gold award recognizes an act of bravery involving extreme personal risk that is clearly above and beyond the call of duty, or an incident of valor that results in serious injury or death. The silver award recognizes acts of bravery involving great personal risk beyond the call of duty. The bronze award recognizes acts of bravery involving unusual personal risk beyond expectation while performing the usual responsibilities of the job. Bronze-level recognition may also be awarded to a responder who demonstrates unusual judgement, zeal, or ingenuity during an emergency situation when such an act is beyond that normally expected in the line of duty.

This year’s recipients of the Gold Medal of Valor Award include Officer Langley Dean and Officer Richard Dean of the Hagerstown Police Department for enduring extreme personal risk during a domestic violence call, resulting in Officer Langley Dean being shot in the arm in June of 2025.

Sergeants Eric Knode and Mark Morris, as well as Officers Scott Huff, Spencer Nigh, and Christopher Woody of the Hagerstown Police Department are receiving the Silver Medal of Valor for rescuing an occupant from a burning building, resulting in all 5 officers being transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation in October of 2025.

Officers Scott Huff and Jacob Mull of Hagerstown Police Department are receiving the Silver Medal of Valor for the apprehension of an armed felony warrant suspect in Wheaton Park in April of 2025.

Chief Jacob Altman, 2nd Lieutenant Keith Cooper, Fire Apparatus Operator Scott Adams of Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company Boat 4, Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Ben Hoopengardner, Firefighter II - Tech Clay Shealy, Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Kyle Lewis, Lieutenant - Field Operations Chris Fraley, and Coordinator - Volunteer Services Oley Griffith of Washington County Division of Emergency Services Boat 20-05, Boat 20-10, and a raft, as well as 1st Lieutenant Zachary Schmidt of Hancock Volunteer Fire Company (also on the raft) are receiving the Silver Medal of Valor for their bravery leading to the successful rescue and evacuation of 22 residents and children during a flash flood in May of 2025.

Sergeants Spencer Shank and Mikhael Weaver, Master Deputies Gerardo Cerda and Philip Schnurr, and Deputies First Class Brett Colvin, Brandon Dillman, and Nikolas McKoy of the Washington County Sheriff's Office are receiving the Bronze Medal of Valor for the safe resolution of a dangerous barricade situation involving heavy objects being thrown from an attic at deputies and deployment of CS chemical irritant in November of 2025.

Officers Amanda Boyle and Joshua Ward of the Hagerstown Police Department are receiving the Bronze Medal of Valor Award for safely taking a large male subject who was exhibiting aggressive behavior and placed an officer in a headlock into custody in March of 2025.

Paramedic Rhea Dennis and Technician Rowen Phelps of Community Rescue Service are receiving the Bronze Medal of Valor for providing treatment for officer Langley Dean’s gunshot wound while simultaneously managing the ongoing active shooter threat with the original domestic violence victim and her three children still in the ambulance in June of 2025.

Deputy James Hines and Deputy First Class Sara Sutton of the Washington County Sheriff's Office are receiving the Bronze Medal of Valor for the apprehension of an armed convicted felon during a traffic stop in November of 2025.

Master Deputy Roy Roberts of the Washington County Sheriff's Office is receiving the Bronze Medal of Valor for successfully arresting an armed suspect who was pointing a semi-automatic handgun at an occupied apartment in October of 2025.

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Robert Gordon of Washington County Division of Emergency Services is receiving the Bronze Medal of Valor for removing a crew member from a live burn training after being found in the burn building face down & unresponsive in July of 2025

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Hero Award honors an individual or team whose actions attempted to save or succeeded in saving a human life. Recipients demonstrate strong knowledge of medical and rescue efforts, quick action, and a commitment to service on and off duty.

Officer Thomas Wolfe of the Hagerstown Police Department is receiving the Hero Award for swift action to retrieve a critical patient's life-sustaining medical device from his residence in 2025. 

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Mike Reid of Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company is receiving the Hero Award for initiating CPR on a two-week old infant that was not breathing in November of 2025.

Captain Justin Ruppenthal of Community Rescue Service is receiving the Hero Award for both his quick life-saving response to traumatic amputation of a motorcycle accident patient's leg and the life-saving response to clear water out of a 9-year-old drowning victim's airway in June of 2025.

Fire Apparatus Operator Tyler Rotelle and Fire Apparatus Operator Zachary Schmidt of Hagerstown Fire Department are receiving the Hero Award for the quick life-saving response to a nearby and unassigned cardiac arrest in March of 2025.

Paramedic Chuck Smith of the Washington County Division of Emergency Services is receiving the Hero Award for the life-saving response to a severe head trauma patient while off duty at the 17000 Block of Shepardstown Pike in 2025.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Unit Achievement Award is awarded to any bureau, division, section, unit, or squad exhibiting extraordinary performance and attention to duty, and for an outstanding contribution to the department or to the welfare of our citizens.

The Hagerstown Police Department Charlie Shift, Criminal Investigations Unit, Drone Operations Team, and Crisis Negotiators; the Washington County Special Response Team and the Washington County Sheriff's Office Hostage Negotiation Team; and Maryland State Police Crisis Negotiator Master Trooper William Talbert are receiving the Unit Achievement Award for their response to the shooting of HPD Officer Langley Dean in June 2025.

Auxiliary Captain Mike Pannill and team of the Hagerstown Police Department Auxiliary Police Unit are receiving the Unit Achievement Award for responding to 1,089 calls and contribution of 4,152 volunteer hours in 2025.

Squad 2 from the Washington County Sheriff's Office is receiving the Unit Achievement Award for teamwork to locate, identify, and stop a suspect that had fired shots at another vehicle from a commercial tractor trailer out of road rage in September of 2025.

Engine 1, Battalion 3, Engine 4 & Truck 4 of Hagerstown Fire Department are receiving the Unit Achievement Award for Teamwork to preserve life and property during a high-rise apartment fire in October of 2025.

Washington County Emergency Communications 9-1-1 BAKER Shift is receiving the Unit Achievement Award for answering 995 calls in one hour during a storm system whilst ensuring all responders were taking the quickest routes and arrived at their intended destinations in April of 2025.

Community Volunteer Fire Company of District 12 and the Washington County Division of Emergency Services are receiving the Unit Achievement Award for their seamless work in freeing a victim who was trapped beneath a fallen tree in July of 2025.

Williamsport Volunteer Fire Company & EMS and the Washington County Division of Emergency Services are receiving the Unit Achievement Award for teamwork to rescue a trapped victim from the roof of a burning building and extinguish the fire in April of 2025.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Telecommunications Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated an exceptional contribution to the improved delivery of emergency medical, fire and law enforcement services to the citizens and visitors of Washington County through their outstanding dedication and service.

Emergency Dispatcher III Diane Rosenthal of Maryland State Police Emergency Dispatch is receiving the Telecommunications Award for her exceptional job training new emergency dispatch trainees, making quick decisions despite a busy work environment, participation in annual MSP events, and providing METERS certifications to troopers and civilians.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to a responder who is distinguished from all others of their rank or position. He or she performs above expectation, demonstrates responsibility, and initiated a credible accomplishment in the previous year.

Master Deputy Joseph McCoy of the Washington County Sheriff's Office is receiving the Distinguished Service Award for sustaining excellence in performance, proactive policing, his leadership roles, and significant drug interdiction, which impacted regional crime in 2025.

Trooper First Class Travis Capezuto of the Maryland State Police is receiving the Distinguished Service Award for proven excellence through traffic enforcement, DUI arrests, teamwork, and consistent dedication to community safety in 2025.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Community Service Award is presented to an individual, group or organization who has worked to better the lives of those in Washington County, either inside or outside of normal job duties, or has performed a single outstanding prevention.

The Hagerstown Police Department's School Resource Officers (SRO) Unit is receiving the Community Service Award for their dedication to youth engagement through Junior Police Academy fostering trust, leadership, and positive community relationships.

Corporal Scott Ciccarelli of the Maryland State Police is receiving the Community Service Award for dedication to leading community outreach through Shop with a Cop, Trunk or Treat, mentoring Troopers, and fostering trust and positive youth engagement in 2025.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Volunteer Achievement Award is presented for volunteer dedication and initiative above and beyond the call of duty over a period of time that has affected and benefited the citizens of Washington County and beyond. 

Assistant Chief James R. McConnell Jr. is receiving the Volunteer Achievement Award for his excellent volunteer contributions to Washington County Emergency Support Services, which includes his commitment to mentoring personnel, maintaining essential equipment, and providing reliable emergency response throughout years of volunteer service.

Vice President Darryl Benner of Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Company is receiving the Volunteer Achievement Award for 50 years of volunteer service advancing regional public safety, mentoring generations, ensuring firefighter safety, and strengthening community through unwavering service and leadership.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual who encompasses leadership and an exceptional work ethic. He or she has consistently performed above and beyond normal expectation throughout their career.

Officer James Robison of the Hagerstown Police Department is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of his dedicated 30+ years of service. In this time, Officer Robison's career has been marked by leadership, continued contribution post-retirement, mentorship, and enduring impact on community and department success.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Washington County’s 10th Annual Public Safety Awards will be held at Community Volunteer Fire Co. of District 12’s Banquet Facility at 18002 Tilghmanton Road, Fairplay, MD 21733, on Thursday, June 4th 2026, at 7:00 am. Registration details are available at Hagerstown.org on the Chamber Events Calendar.

The Chamber would like to thank the sponsors of this event: Antietam Broadband, Atlantic Emergency Solutions, Keystone Public Safety, Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, Hagerstown Magazine, Streamline IT Solutions, AC&T, and Complete Document Solutions.

About The Chamber

Growth. Community. Success. Established in 1919, the mission of the Chamber is to foster and maintain a thriving business climate in which its members and community can grow and prosper. Washington County Chamber of Commerce members include more than 680 organizations, representing over 40,000 local jobs in a wide variety of industries: Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Skilled Trades, Service and Hospitality, Technology, Government, Nonprofit, and Education.

The Chamber promotes and facilitates cooperation and collaboration among elected officials at all levels of government. We value the diversity of our business and nonprofit community and encourage participation, inclusion, and collaboration. Visit www.hagerstown.org or call (301) 739-2015.

Contact: Maddie Monica Krause, Marketing & Events; 301-739-2015 ext.103; maddie@hagerstown.org

###