Dysart-Kendall American Legion Post 29 recognized Ethan McLean as Firefighter of the Year and Corporal Miguel Zambrano as Police Officer of the Year during the regular City Council meeting Sept. 3, 2024.
Firefighter McLean has been serving with the City of Lenoir Fire Department for nearly two years. During his career, McLean earned several certifications including Emergency Medical Technician, Firefighter II, and Driver / Operator – Pumps. He is certified as a Technical Rescuer in Vehicle, Trench, Machinery and Agricultural and he recently completed the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Technical Rope School – Single Rescuer Movements course.
Fire Chief Norman Staines said that McLean has accomplished a lot in his two years with Lenoir and has set a great example for local youth interested in the fire service.
“Ethan started his journey seven or eight years at a Junior Fire Academy at Gamewell Fire,” Chief Staines said. “He did that for two years and went on to be a Junior Fireman at Gamewell. And now, when they have they camp each summer, he goes back and volunteers and gives back to those kids.”
Corporal Zambrano has been serving in the City of Lenoir Police Department since 2019. Prior to coming to Lenoir, he served in the US Marine Corps, where he also achieved the rank of corporal, and he currently serves in the Marine Corps Reserve. Zambrano earned an Associate’s Degree from CCC&TI in 2016, and he completed his Basic Law Enforcement Training in 2018. He earned his Law Enforcement Intermediate Certificate from the NC Criminal Justice Education & Training Standards Commission in 2023.
Corporal Zambrano serves on the Special Response Team and Honor Guard Team, and serves as a Bilingual Translator for the Department and the City.
Police Chief Brent Phelps said that Zambrano is an exemplary officer who will certainly move up the ranks.
“When you think about future leaders and future people that will have an influence at the department, he is one of those individuals,” Chief Phelps said. “He said he’d love to be the Chief of Police here. I told him that is a great goal. We’re proud of his dedication to the Police department and our community, and we’re proud that he is a member of us.”
City Council thanked McLean and Zambrano for their service to the City of Lenoir, and they thanked the Post 29 Members for their commitment to recognizing emergency services personnel in Lenoir and Caldwell County.
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Pictured from left: Police Major Andy Wilson, Post 29 Parliamentarian Wayne Mihelich, Police Captain Jody Herman, Post 29 Member Woody Smith, Councilman Todd Perdue, Fire Chief Norman Staines, City Manager Scott Hildebran, Post 29 Historian Irv Eurto, Corporal Miguel Zambrano, Councilman Ralph Prestwood, Councilman Ike Perkins, Firefighter Ethan McLean, Councilman Jonathan Beal, Mayor Joe Gibbons, Deputy Fire Chief Kenny Nelson, Councilman David Stevens, Police Chief Brent Phelps, and Post 29 2nd Vice Commander Wesley Woods.
Police Chief Brent Phelps, right, and Post 29 Historian Irv Eurto present the Post 29 Police Officer of the Year Award to Corporal Miguel Zambrano.
Post 29 Historian Irv Eurto, left, and Fire Chief Norman Staines, right, present the Post 29 Firefighter of the Year Award to Firefighter Ethan McLean.