NYSAFC Award Recipients Announced

• By: Staff
• On: 07/16/2025 13:50:43
• In: NYSAFC News

The New York State Association of Fire Chiefs 2025 award recipients were recognized during the General Session of the 119th Annual Conference & FIRE 2025 Expo on June 5, 2025, in Syracuse, NY.
 
The New York State Fire Chief of the Year Awards were presented to Past Chief William A. Steenbergh of the Arlington Fire District (Career Fire Chief of the Year) and Chief Kevin O. Kalk of the Barneveld Fire Department (Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year). Honorees are association members who have been selected for demonstration of exemplary leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, service to the public, and contributions to the fire service, as well as outstanding support in meeting the objectives of NYSAFC.
 
Chief Steenbergh began his emergency services career as one of the first paramedics with the Arlington Fire District (Dutchess County) in 1990. He became a firefighter/paramedic in 1996 and advanced through the ranks, serving as chief of department from March 2019 until his retirement in February 2025. Steenbergh has been a member of NYSAFC since 1988 and is a longtime member of the Career Fire Chiefs Association of New York State. He is also a past chief of the Roosevelt Fire District, as well as a former deputy EMS coordinator for the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response.
 
Chief Kalk has been a member of the Barneveld Fire Department (Oneida County) since 2001. He has served as chief of the department since 2010 and has also served as the Town of Trenton Joint Fire District chief since 2018. Kalk is a New York state certified EMT and a national certified fire instructor. He was president of the Oneida County Fire Chiefs Association in 2021 and also served for five years on the board of directors of the Believe 271 Foundation. Kalk has been a member of NYSAFC since 2007. He is a Hands-On Training instructor for the association and has served on the board of directors since 2022.
 
Chief Chris Rea of the Kingston Fire Department (Ulster County) was honored with the Chief Fred W. Singer Fire Educator of the Year Award, which recognizes an association member for outstanding effort in fire service training and education. Rea, a 39-year fire service veteran, has served as chief of department since 2021. He also led the Kingston Fire Investigation Unit and the Hazardous Materials Response Team, was an Ulster County fire investigator for 20 years, and has been a New York state and Ulster County fire instructor. A member of NYSAFC since 2004, he has served the association as a Hands-On Training instructor and lecturer and is a member of the Fire Education Committee.
 
Lieutenant Liam Sayward of the Peru Fire Department (Clinton County) received this year's Chief Neil McNeight Hands-On Training Award. Presented by the Chautauqua County & Monroe County Fire Chiefs Hospitality Committee, this program is intended to advance firefighter training by funding the registration of qualified and deserving students in the NYSAFC Hands-On Training program at the Annual Conference & FIRE Expo. The awardees receive training, Full Term registration for the conference, as well as hotel accommodations and a meal stipend. Sayward completed Truck Company Operations HOT held at the Syracuse Fire Department Training Center.
 
Seven scholarships were awarded this year through the association's Scholarship Program, which supports NYSAFC Individual Members or the spouses and children of these members who are pursuing academic advancement at the college level. NYSAFC was pleased to grant $500 scholarships to all of this year's applicants. The Anthony Messina Scholarship is awarded to students pursuing an emergency services degree and the Ward & Janice Bohner Scholarship is granted to those pursuing a general course of study. Scholarship recipients and their sponsoring departments are Brady Cotter (Broadalbin-Kennyetto Fire Company), Mackenzie Dick (Crittenden Volunteer Fire Department), Jack McNamara (South Country Ambulance), Zander Miller (North Collins Volunteer Fire Department), Alex Sullivan (Stony Point Fire Department), Elyssa VanEvery (Johnstown Fire Department), and Nathan Zielinski (South Plattsburgh Fire Department). Special thanks to the Fire Chiefs Council of Nassau County and Fire Chiefs' Council of Suffolk County for their contributions to the NYSAFC scholarship fund.
 
Learn more about NYSAFC's scholarship and awards here. 2026 nomination forms and applications will be available in the fall.