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ATLANTA -- Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John Oxendine will present awards, recognizing Georgia fire personnel and citizens for outstanding service in fighting fires and saving lives at the annual “Life, Fire & Safety” Awards Luncheon. 

The awards banquet will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 28 in the Railroad Freight Depot at Underground Atlanta. 

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

• Firefighter of the Year – Charles H. Gray, Jr., DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department
• Fire Official of the Year – Chief Barry Trammell, Lake Creek Fire Station, Polk County Volunteer Fire Department
• Fire Safety Educator of the Year – Rita Smith, Rome-Floyd County Fire Department
• Fire Safety Prevention Program of the Year – Heard County FD, Haralson County FD & Carroll County FD – West Georgia Regional Fire Safety Coalition
• Citizens Award of Courage  – Argeno Williams, Lee County, Georgia 

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: 

• Kindergarten – Emma Terry – Cartersville Primary School – Cartersville
• 1^st Grade – Emily Astrid Nolasco – Cartersville Primary School – Cartersville
• 2^nd Grade – Ylice Benlizar – Southwest Elementary School – Savannah
• 3^rd Grade – Darius Williams Hubbard – Elementary School – Forsyth
• 4^th Grade – Avery Dixon – C. L. Gideons – Elementary School – Atlanta
• 5^th Grade – Emily Walton – Hubbard Elementary School – Forsyth                                         

First-place winners of the Fire Safety Essay were: 

• 6^th Grade – Brendan Albert – Thomson McDuffie Middle School – Thomson
• 7^th Grade – Darryain Ponder – Ralph Bunche Middle School – Atlanta
• 8^th Grade – Makkih Taylor – Valdosta Early College Academy – Valdosta
• 9^th Grade – Collin Patrick – Flake – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin
• 10^th Grade – Courtney Lee – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin
• 11^th Grade - Morgan Scott – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin
• 12^th Grade - Kenyard Crimes – Eagles Landing High School – McDonough 

2010 Fire Prevention Week Calendar winners were: 

• 1st Grade – Levi Adcox – Oak Hill Elementary School – Covington
• 1st Grade – Shelby Matthews – Hesse Elementary School – Savannah
• 2nd Grade – Jarriah Cockhren – C. L. Gideons – Elementary School – Atlanta
• 2nd Grade – Nadia Beavers – C. L. Gideons – Elementary School – Atlanta
• 3rd Grade – Shariah Smith –Atha Road Elementary School – Monroe
• 3rd Grade – Laynie Mizell – David A. Perdue Elementary School – Warner Robins
• 4th Grade – Shelby Thompson – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin
• 4th Grade – Kala Than – C. L. Gideons Elementary School – Atlanta
• 5th Grade – Kiersten Hamilton – Norris Elementary School – Thomson
• 5th Grade – Celebrity Baker – Virginia L. Heard Elementary School – Savannah
• 5th Grade – Mehal Churiwal –Wilson Creek Elementary School – Johns Creek
• 5th Grade – Journi Whipple – Bethune Elementary School – Atlanta
• 5th Grade – Kiara Lee Soto – Blakemey Elementary School – Waynesboro 

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

• Kindergarten – Preslie Harrison – Blue Ridge Elementary School – Blue Ridge
• 1st Grade – Hannah Lakes – Clarkdale Elementary School – Powder Springs
• 2nd Grade – Sara – Strickland R. B. Wright – Elementary School – Moultrie
• 3rd Grade – Rylee Hancock – David A. Perdue Elementary School – Warner Robins
• 4th Grade – Juliana Hunt – Oconee County Elementary School – Watkinsville
• 5th Grade – James Smith – Atha Road Elementary School – Monroe 

• 3rd Grade – Jordan Pettit – Ridge Road Elementary School – Sandersville 

Second-place winners of the Fire Safety Essay were: 

• 6th Grade –  Jabari Gay –  Ralph Bunche Middle School – Atlanta
• 7th Grade – Jessica Clements – St. John the Evangelist Catholic School – Hapeville
• 8th Grade – Alex Lopez – Sumter County Middle School – Americus
• 9th Grade – Hannah Gates – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin
• 10th Grade – Laura Murphy – Valdosta High School – Valdosta
• 11th Grade – Josh Lewis – Claxton High School – Clayton
• 12th Grade –  Jordan Gray – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin 

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

• Kindergarten – Simone O’Neal – Blue Ridge Elementary School – Blue Ridge
• 1st Grade – Kenia Thomas – Hubbard Elementary School – Forsyth
• 2nd Grade – McKenize Weathers-Skinner – Southwest Elementary – Savannah
• 3rd Grade –  Sandra Hernandez – Windsor Forest Elementary School – Savannah
• 4th Grade – Denise Button –  Gwinnett Elementary School – Hinesville
• 5th Grade – Taylor Carter – Gould Elementary School – Savannah 

Third-place winner of the Fire Safety Essay was: 

• 1st Grade – Devan Bush – Sallas Mahone Elementary School – Valdosta 

Third-place winners of the Fire Safety Essay were: 

• 6th Grade – Devin Calhoun – Need Wood Middle School – Brunswick
• 7th Grade – Darius Perkins – Newbern Middle School – Valdosta
• 8th Grade – Hannah Easterling – Russell Middle School – Winder
• 9th Grade – Trevor Cox – Sequoyah High School – Canton
• 10th Grade – Martin Stansel – Sequoyah High School – Canton
• 11th Grade – Jarrod Fouts – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin
• 12th Grade – Kristin Barronton – Faith Christian Academy – Griffin