While many individuals were still sleeping, the Greensburg Optimist Club was up and announcing the 2026 Firefighter of the Year Award. Calvin Venable was heading up the committee that chooses an individual to receive the award.
The meeting was held at the Greensburg Fire Department. This year, the club announced that Battalion Chief Chris Kachur was chosen to be the Firefighter of the Year. Calvin explained that Chris has more than 30 years of service. Calvin said, “Chris wears many hats, including firefighter, medic, leader, mentor, scout leader, father, and most of all, a friend.”
Chris was recognized for demonstrating integrity, humility, dependability, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.
Calvin spoke about an emergency in which the victim was one of Chris’s former scouts. He said it was apparent that, just knowing Chris was there, the victim found comfort.
Chris stood to say, “This means a lot… People recognize things that you don’t see yourself sometimes.”
This award was first presented in 1996 and has been awarded every year since.
