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Des Moines Fire Department honors lifesavers, marks first Medal of Honor since 2015
Summary
The Des Moines Fire Department held its 2026 awards ceremony, recognizing unit and individual lifesaving actions, service and a chief's medal for a fast records'management implementation; Mayor Connie Boesen and city leaders attended.
The Des Moines Fire Department presented a slate of unit and individual awards at its 2026 annual ceremony, honoring firefighters, civilian rescuers and partner agencies for a year of lifesaving responses and departmental improvements.
The ceremony, introduced by awards-committee member Joe Tava and attended by Mayor Connie Boesen and City Manager Scott Sanders, included unit citations for a barn fire response (crews rescued about 15 animals on 01/06/2025), multiple individual life'saving citations and organizational awards. Chief Jonathan Wong presented a new chief's medal of excellence to staff who completed a rapid records'management implementation that met a Jan. 1, 2026 compliance deadline.
Presenters highlighted dozens of specific rescues. Assistant Chief Bridal Davis credited Engine 11 and Truck 3 crews for forcible entry and animal rescue at a barn fire; District Chief Mickey Kinzenbach recognized a scaffold rescue led by Senior Medic Paul Sorebeck; and Fire Medic Brandon Morris described a Feb. 28 ladder rescue in which Firefighter Dominic McDonough reached a woman who had hanged herself and moved her to transport care. Several off'duty interventions were also recognized, including a CPR/AED response at an Iowa State football game and CPR given by Captain Ron Dicus at a gym.
Interagency responses received notice: the department presented law enforcement excellence awards to Des Moines Police Department officers for using an AED and high'quality compressions to restore a passenger at Des Moines International Airport on Sept. 16, and presenters thanked police partners for their quick actions in other scenes cited during the ceremony.
The program also highlighted internal honors: the Craig Kern award for a top recruit went to Jay Hay; the mentorship award went to Assistant Chief Brian Davis for sustained investment in newer personnel; and the first'ever chief's medal of excellence recognized the records'management team for implementing a new system under compressed timelines.
The event closed with a raffle and a social gathering for attendees and family members. Organizers said the ceremony aimed to recognize both high'profile rescues and the many routine acts of service that sustain public safety.
