By Marla Jones, Reporter • marla@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — The DeKalb County VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 3128 recently honored Lieutenant Joshua Michael Jennings with the National VFW Firefighter of the Year Award.

Jennings was chosen over 10,000 other VFW Post nominations across the nation.

Jennings is a lieutenant, paramedic, and training officer with the Fort Payne Fire Department.

"Since his first day of work, he has pushed to further his abilities and knowledge and hasn't looked back. [Josh] sets one of the best examples for new recruits through his time as an instructor at the Fort Payne Regional Training Center/Alabama Fire College," said Fort Payne Fire Chief Ron Saferite. "I appreciate the job [he] does for the citizens of Fort Payne."