Photo of Mackenzie with the families of the two firefighters provided by: PA House GOP News

Mackenzie’s legislation created the state award program

HARRISBURG – Two Lehigh County firefighters who died in the line of duty were among 12 Pennsylvania first responders honored today by Gov. Josh Shapiro with Keystone First Responder Awards during a Capitol ceremony. The annual award was created earlier this year through the enactment of legislation authored by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh).

Assistant Chief Zachary Paris and Firefighter Marvin Gruber, members of the Community Fire Company of New Tripoli, were killed while battling a house fire near Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, in December 2022.

“Through this award, Assistant Chief Paris and Firefighter Gruber are getting the statewide recognition they deserve for making the ultimate sacrifice while performing their public duty to protect lives and property,” said Mackenzie. “These brave men are heroes, which is exactly why I worked to create this award program to honor the memories of the Commonwealth’s fallen first responders.”

Act 11 of 2024 created the Keystone First Responder Award to honor public servants who were either killed or suffered a career-ending injury in the line of duty. Those eligible for the award include law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, coroners, 911 dispatchers, and other first responders. The annual award is presented every fall by the governor, who is provided with a list of potential recipients by a special committee.

Paris and Gruber are among the first group of individuals to receive the award, which also included eight law enforcement officers, a corrections officer, and a paramedic.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Andy Briggs