Pictured from left are Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Fire Marshal Joe Fretz and WWFT Firefighter Max Kinsey. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory recently received a 2023 Fire Prevention Bureau of the Year Award from the Fire Inspectors Association of Indiana.

They received the award at FIAI’s annual convention on March 8 at Vincennes University.

The award recognizes WWFT’s work within public education, investigations and inspections.

Trent Stamper, a former WWFT firefighter who now works at Columbia City Fire Department, nominated WWFT for the award.

“With him seeing the process that we have done here in our department, he’s trying to take that to implement it into Columbia City too, so it was a great gesture that he nominated us for this,” said WWFT Fire Marshal Joe Fretz. “It’s an honor to receive this award for our department. It shows the hard work that our guys do here.”

Firefighter Max Kinsey said WWFT does a lot of education within Warsaw Community Schools, including programs related to fire safety and prevention.

Fretz’s work also includes fire extinguisher trainings and Exit Drills In The Home, also known as EDITH drills. He also inspects businesses to make sure they’re safe and completes fire investigations to determine causes of fires.

“All-in-all, this is department-wide,” said Fretz on the recognition. “Every guy here helps with the (education) programs.”