Firefighter Adam Whitman was named Fireman of the Year by the Evening Exchange Club last week.

“It’s an honor to be chosen for it, but it shows that hard work pays off and is noticed. We all go through numerous hours of training each year to better ourselves in this profession,” said Whitman.

Whitman has been a firefighter for a total of 19 years and he said he would not have been able to receive the award without his crew.

“I couldn’t have done it without my crew, we all dedicate our lives to this job and have a true passion for the craft of firefighting and the brotherhood is like no other. It truly is an honor to be awarded Firefighter of the Year,” he said. 

Exchange Club President Neva England presented the award to Whitman at the Exchange Club’s annual Chili Cook Off at Riverfront Park on Tuesday where the C Shift Station 1 crew judged the chili. 

Whitman has been a member of McMinnville Fire Department since 2017. Before being a firefighter for four years in McMinnville, he was a volunteer firefighter in White County for 15 years.