TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation held its 2025 Volunteer Firefighter Appreciation Banquet May 8 and contributed nearly half a million dollars total to 136 northeast Oklahoma rural fire departments. Each of the 136 fire departments is receiving $3,500 as part of the tribe’s contributions.
Five firefighters and two volunteer departments also received awards for their heroism and hard work during the event.
Those recognized included Jarrad Edwards from Whitehorn Cove Fire and Rescue, Matthew Barnes from West Tenkiller Protection Association, Lisa Giles from Flat Rock Fire Department, Travis Garrison from Jay Fire Department, and Yogi Cole from Keys Fire Department.
“The Cherokee Nation is built from the grass roots up, from the community up, and investing in these rural fire departments is that idea at its best,” said Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Firefighters do what we want to do when we are at our best, our most caring, our most courageous, our most dedicated to each other. They are people who protect life and property. We admire you for that. We know that if we share these dollars with you, you will not only use it to good end, but we also know that you will reflect in your work what we want to reflect in our work, people that are here for the community.”
The tribe’s annual contribution helps support volunteer fire departments, which otherwise rely on fundraisers, membership dues and the help of their community’s residents to maintain their vital operations. This year’s banquet included entertainment from storyteller Robert Lewis and the Cherokee Youth Choir.
Flat Rock Fire Department won the Fire Department of the Year award for the Northern Region, and West Tenkiller Protection Association won Fire Department of the Year for the Southern Region.
“You run into the fire each and every day, no matter if it’s a car wreck, a house call, or whatever it is, you’re there to answer that call, and I am truly honored to be able to call each and every one of you friends and thank you for protecting what it is that we all value so much: our communities, our families, those individuals that much up the fabric of the Cherokee Nation Reservation,” said Deputy Chief Bryan Warner.
During the event, the tribe also recognized the Cherokee Nation’s Wildland Fire Management team.
“There are people in life that you must rely on and you don’t even have to ask for help. As far as law enforcement goes, that’s the way the fire departments are viewed,” said Council Speaker Mike Shambaugh, who served in law enforcement for decades. “We can rely on them to be there because we know they’re going to be, and you always are. Your departments have always been reliable for the Cherokee Nation.”
Flat Rock Fire Chief Kirk Kvittum thanked Cherokee Nation for honoring fire departments during the event.
“From where we’ve been to where we are now we’ve come such a long way, and this award confirms that,” Kvittum said. “This was our first time to receive the award, and I’m just very excited and happy.”