The King County Fire Chiefs’ Association has bestowed a Medal of Merit upon Snoqualmie Volunteer Firefighter Robert Angrisano in acknowledgment of his exceptional leadership and skills that have made a positive impact on both the fire agency and the local community.
Randy Fehr, the organization’s president, expressed their appreciation, stating, “We value and recognize the effort you have put into your work, and we appreciate you for being a part of the fire service team in King County.”
Robert Angrisano, who joined the Snoqualmie Fire Department in 2014, has played a pivotal role in numerous programs, with a notable impact during the pandemic. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Angrisano’s diligent research into best practices and meticulous attention to policy details were highly commendable.
On several occasions, he engaged with the fire department staff and other city personnel to ensure that the city adhered to the best practices, providing reassurance and safety based on scientific consensus. Some credit him for the fact that 100% of the fire department staff were vaccinated once the vaccine mandate was implemented.
As soon as vaccines became available, Angrisano embarked on researching the most effective means of vaccine distribution and actively assisted the city in implementing a vaccine mandate for all city staff. Subsequently, he led a community vaccination initiative and collaborated with Snoqualmie Valley Hospital to organize the city’s inaugural drive-through vaccination clinic.
Over the following 18 months, he collaborated closely with the city and organized multiple vaccination events at the Fire Station, one of the primary vaccination locations in the upper Snoqualmie Valley. Robert personally oversaw these events and administered vaccines to registered individuals, estimating that he administered more than 10,000 vaccines at these clinics.
More recently, Angrisano has introduced education programs on opioids and training classes for overdose reversal.
Angrisano’s exceptional service was recently recognized during a City Council meeting, where Interim Snoqualmie Fire Chief Mike Bailey shared details about the award. Bailey expressed gratitude, stating, “We thank Robert for his exceptional service to our department and to our community.”
[Featured Image: Interim Snoqualmie Fire Chief Mike Bailey with Volunteer Firefighter Robert Angrisano and Snoqualmie Mayor Katherine Ross.]
