Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John W. Oxendine presented awards Thursday recognizing Georgia fire personnel and citizens for outstanding service in fighting fires and saving lives at the annual “Life, Fire & Safety” Awards Luncheon, held at in Atlanta.

The program recognized individuals and organizations that excel in fire safety.

Winners of the “Excellence in Fire Safety” Awards were:

Firefighter of the Year – Wayne Henderson – Walker County Fire Department

Fire Official of the Year – Thad Dixson – Savannah Fire Department

Fire Safety Educator of the Year – Kristi Hill – DeKalb County Fire Department

Fire Safety Educator of the Year – Judith Samuels – Crawford County Fire Department

Fire Safety Prevention Program of the Year – Bolingbroke Volunteer Fire Department

Citizens Award of Courage (17 and under) – Haden Stusak – Fayette County

Citizens Award of Courage (18 and older) – Coty Peardon – Walker County

Journalist of the Year – Jim Strickland – WSB-TV Atlanta

Public Information Officer of the Year – Eric Jackson – DeKalb County Fire

Contestants in the poster and essay contests were required to reflect this year’s theme, “Prevent Home Fires,” in the entries they submitted.

First-place winners of the Fire Safety Poster Contest were:

Sky Raiford – Kindergarten – Heard Elementary School – Franklin

Jake Harrod – 1st Grade – Ephesus Elementary School – Roopville

Carlos Baker, II – 2nd Grade – V.L. Heard Elementary School – Savannah

Kailia Youngblood – 3rd Grade – Sarah Cobb Elementary School – Americus

Aspen Baker – 4th Grade – Ephesus Elementary School – Roopville

Elise Reyes – 5th Grade – Sarah Cobb Elementary School - Americus

First-Place winner of the Fire Safety House Essay Contest were:

Riley Laslay – Kindergarten – Cowan Road Elementary School – Griffin

Allyssa Bissell – 3rd Grade – Sandersville Elementary School – Sandersville

Malyk Mahoney – 3rd Grade - Burgess-Peterson Elementary School - Atlanta

First-place winners of the Fire Safety Essay, open to all students from grades six through 12, were:

Keldon Crimes – 6th Grade – Eagle's Landing Middle School – McDonough

Jacob Hickman – 7th Grade – Bagley Middle School – Chatsworth

Ashley Kirby – 8th Grade – Dawson County Middle School Dawsonville

Mario Sucar – 9th Grade – Sequoyah High School – Canton

Kenyard Crimes – 10th Grade – Eagle's Landing High School – McDonough

Autumn Jackson – 11th Grade - South Forsyth High School – Cumming

Maximiliano Vasquez, III – 12th Grade - Peachtree Ridge High School – Suwanee