Fire Department reveals end-of-the-year stats, award winners at banquet

Posted 1/28/26

The Gerald-Rosebud Fire Department celebrated a busy and successful year at their annual banquet last Saturday. The department answered 458 calls for service in 2025. The volunteer members also …

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Fire Department reveals end-of-the-year stats, award winners at banquet

The Gerald-Rosebud Fire Department members (above) gathered at Rosebud RV Resort last Saturday for their annual awards banquet. Four members were honored for their career advancement/continuing education efforts (below, right). Blake Redecker - EMT class/St. Louis Fire Academy, Trevor Griffith - EMT license, Makenna Fleming - EMT license and Nick Koepke - EMT license. Bailey Angell was not present but also received his EMT license. The department logged over 700 hours of training last year.

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Posted Wednesday, January 28, 2026 11:25 am

The Gerald-Rosebud Fire Department celebrated a busy and successful year at their annual banquet last Saturday. The department answered 458 calls for service in 2025. The volunteer members also logged more than 700 hours of training.

Jacob Gregory was named the firefighter of the year while Makenna Fleming was honored as the fireball of the year. Evan Arismendez received the junior excellence award.

Hayden Schoenfeld was named the officer of the year.

The department’s top responders were Rudy Via, Trevor Griffith and Kenneth Aldridge with Gregory Aytes as the junior top responder.

Blake Redecker was honored for 10 years of service with the department. Edwin Schoenfeld, Rudy Via and Kenneth Aldridge have each accumulated five years of service.

In 2025, the department also reinstated the Fireman’s Picnic, received a new UTV through a grant process and committed uncounted hours to community service outside the department.

Their commitment to excellence deserves a night of celebration.