PHOTOS: Rockville Public Safety Awards

Fifteen public safety professionals, a civilian resident and a volunteer program were honored for their service at the 23rd annual Rockville Public Safety Awards on Wednesday at .

Click through the photo gallery above to read more about some of the awardees. Awardees not pictured are:

• The Rockville Volunteer Fire Department’s live-in volunteers program, which received a meritorious service award. Volunteers receive a free place at the in Town Center in exchange for being on duty 56 hours a week. The station hosted an average of 10 live-ins at any time during 2011. They provided more than 28,000 hours of service.
• RVFD firefighter/EMT Scott Cushing and EMS Lt. Avital Cooperman received, who received meritorious service awards. Cushing is the department’s volunteer with the highest number of fire calls, totaling 928 calls and 2,382 duty hours. Cooperman is the volunteer with the highest number of emergency medical service calls, totaling 515 calls and 2, 722 duty hours.
• Cpl. Douglas Carranza of the county’s Department of Correction, who received a meritorious service award. Carranza, a 23-year veteran of the department, works with the State’s Attorney’s office and police to see that crimes committed at the county detention center are prosecuted.
• Steve Eschhulz, a civilian, who received a meritorious service citation. Eschhulz, a Rockville resident, turned over to Rockville City Police a money bag containing $3,673 that he found near Beall Avenue and Nelson Street on June 7, 2011. The owner, a businessman, was later found. “I am quite sure the businessman is relieved to recoup his loss, and I am always delighted to hear about acts of human kindness,” city police Chief Terrance N. Treschuk said in commending Eschhulz.

The awards luncheon was sponsored by the City of Rockville; Washington Rockville Elks Lodge No. 15; Rockville Kiwanis Club; Rockville Lions Club; Montgomery County Cornerstone Masonic Lodge No. 195; Rockville Optimists Clubs, Rockville Rotary Club; Twinbrook Citizens Association; Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, Md.; Rockville American Legion Post 86; Rockville Chamber of Commerce; and The Rockville Gazette.