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Beloit firefighters receive top award in their field

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A pair of Stateline firefighters receive a top award in their field, they’re Wisconsin First Responders of the year.

Beloit Deputy Chief Joe Murray and Acting Lieutenant Phil Ferrera received the awards.

“I must say it was a surprise,” Ferrera said.

“It’s nice to get the recognition. We never do this job for the recognition, but when it does happen it is very nice,” Murray explained.

The firefighters said their work during the pandemic is what got them nominated.

Ferrera was part of a COVID-19 response team with the Navy Reserve that was sent to New York.

“There’s been numerous times where I’ve been able to give a vaccine, and people were very grateful that they were finally able to get the vaccine, especially early on where it was much harder to get the vaccine,” he said.

Murray was a leader in the mobile vaccine clinics in Beloit.

“It’s not seeing people at their worst or having a really bad day … we’re actually going out to make things better, and the conversations we’ve gotten to have with many, many people has been as we’re doing the homebound clinics was priceless,” he said. “When firefighters say it’s the best job in the world say it’s the best job in the world…it truly is the best job in the world.”