Benjamin Blethen Named 2012 Firefighter of the Year

At the Temple Terrace Fire Department’s annual awards banquet Monday, firefighters learned that Benjamin Blethen had earned the title of Temple Terrace’s 2012 Firefighter of the Year.

“Ben has been a big contributor to the forward progress of our department,” said Fire Chief Keith Chapman in a City of Temple Terrace press release. “He has demonstrated the department’s core values of compassion, respect and professionalism throughout the year. I am pleased that he is representing our department as the 2012 Firefighter of the Year.”

Blethen, 30, was chosen after an extensive review of “his vast contributions to the department and our community over the past year,” said Assistant Fire Chief Ian Kemp in the release.

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Fire officials praised Blethen’s efforts in updating the department’s pre-fire plans, providing firefighters an “understanding of the configurations and hazards of the buildings in our city. This valuable information assists with the knowledge necessary to provide safe working conditions during fire operations,” officials wrote, according to the release.

Blethen joined the department as a firefighter in 2008 and was promoted to engineer in 2012, the release states. He has been instrumental in implementing the department’s Health & Welfare programs, particularly in determining the appropriate workout equipment for firefighter fitness.

See also:

• Mike Brown Named Firefighter of the Year (published in 2012)