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Monroe honors Police Officer and Firefighter of the Year, awards medical director citations to four responders
Summary
Monroe City recognized Detective Adam Zimmerman as Police Officer of the Year and Firefighter Dave Kale as Firefighter of the Year. Four firefighters received a Medical Director's Award for a September cardiac arrest response that left the patient conscious before hospital arrival.
Monroe City recognized members of its Department of Public Safety with annual awards at a council meeting that drew family members, colleagues and department leaders.
Detective Adam Zimmerman was named the department's 2024 Police Officer of the Year, and Firefighter Dave Kale received the 2024 Firefighter of the Year award. In addition, Dr. Daniel Kempel, medical director for the Monroe County Medical Control Authority, presented the Medical Director's Award to four first responders — Captain Dan Little, Lieutenant Cody Kegers, Firefighter Paramedic Zach Gilsdorf and Firefighter EMT Jacob Ansell — for their work on a September call in which the patient was in cardiac arrest and was awake and talking before arriving at the hospital.
Why it matters: the awards highlight life‑saving emergency medical care and long‑term service the public safety departments provide; council members used the recognitions to underscore training, leadership and departmental readiness.
What happened: Director Chad Tolsted introduced the recognitions and said the department also honored shift teams. Dr. Kempel described the September incident: responders arrived for a reported seizure, quickly identified cardiac arrest, delivered multiple defibrillator shocks, administered medication and secured the airway; collectively their interventions left the patient conscious before hospital arrival, Dr. Kempel said.
Individual recognitions and comments
- Medical Director's Awards: Firefighter EMT Jacob Ansell, Firefighter Paramedic Zach Gilsdorf, Lieutenant Cody Kegers and Captain Dan Little were recognized for their roles on the September call. Lieutenant Kegers and Captain Little emphasized teamwork and training; Kegers credited a bystander who started CPR prior to arrival.
- Police Officer of the Year: Detective Adam Zimmerman was selected by peers and supervisors for consistent investigative work across a range of cases, the department said.
- Firefighter of the Year: Firefighter Dave Kale was praised by department leaders for advanced life‑support skills, mentorship of junior staff and consistent training.
Council response and next steps: Council members and the mayor congratulated award recipients and thanked families for their support. Department leaders and awardees planned to take photos on the third floor after the ceremony and the council proceeded with the regular agenda.
Quotes (from meeting record)
- Firefighter EMT Jacob Ansell: "I'd like to thank the mayor and the council and the clerk, and I'd like to thank the director and the commander and the captain and all the people above me that have taught me and made it possible to have the impact on this call that I got to have."
- Lieutenant Cody Kegers: "We are truly honored and deeply humbled to stand before you today... Above all, I am reminded today that life is fragile and that in those moments... we are given the opportunity to make a difference."
- Dr. Daniel Kempel (Monroe County Medical Control Authority): described the incident and said, "they gave the proper medications... and were able to have the patient awake and talking before they got to the hospital."
