The Kenai Fire Department now has commemorative challenge coins for sale to the public.
Kenai Fire Chief Jeff Tucker spoke with us about the coin which is decorated with the City of Kenai Fire Department Patch on one side and Saint Florian, the Patron Saint of Firefighters, on the other.
Tucker: “Kenai’s Firefighter’s Association has put together a challenge coin for the fire department. It’s a tradition, the military has had challenge coins for a long time, the fire service and law enforcement have also been doing challenge coins, it’s for pride for the department and also collectors out there collect those type of coins.”
The coins can be bought online or at the station for a total of $12 a piece and the proceeds go back to the Kenai Firefighters Association which helps with training and other activities for the association.
The image of St. Florian commemorates the 343 firefighters who gave their lives on September 11th, 2001, and Tucker said it holds a special meaning for the Kenai Fire Department.
Tucker: “After the events of 9/11 and the 343 New York City Firefighters who lost their lives, the firefighters at the time in the City of Kenai wanted to memorialize and pay tribute to those firefighters. So working with local legislators and with the federal government actually got a mountain across the inlet renamed Mount Florian.”
The peak was proclaimed Mount Saint Florian on February 14th, 2002.
Kenai Fire Department’s Captain John Harris and Engineer Sam Satathite (both firefighters then) summited the peak on January 31st, 2003.