Knights of Columbus Recognizes Howard County Police, Fire and Rescue Personnel of the Year

Building trust in the community and reaping the rewards that come with helping the citizenry are two of the things that keep the police officer, paramedic and firefighter of the year going.

About 50 people at the St. Agnes Council of the Knights of Columbus in Catonsville this week recognized some of Howard and Baltimore counties’ most respected public servants and citizens.

Among the list of award recipients was firefighter of the year Kevin Panizari, paramedic of the year Lewis Kerby and police officer of the year Jose Marichal, who took home the award for a second consecutive year.

Panizari and Kerby work at the county fire station in Ellicott City, while Marichal patrols the Long Reach area of Columbia.

“Both Kevin and Lewis take pride in their jobs and set high standards for others,” said fire Captain James Brothers, who oversees both of the men at the Ellicott City station.

Brothers said he was surprised both candidates from his crew won the county awards but acknowledged their work makes his job “a lot easier.”

Both Panizari and Kerby said they didn’t learn of the awards until just days ago.

“This is a bit of a surprise,” Panizari said. “Just Saturday I was told to get ready because something was going on,” he told a chuckling group of family and friends.

“Firefighter of the year is an honor that I am humbled to receive but, in all honesty, is something that can be given to any one of the 400 firefighters who work for Howard County,” Panizari said, highlighting the , in Baltimore County.

Kerby noted his first involvement as a volunteer, when he was just a teenager, as an influence toward becoming a professional firefighter and paramedic.

“You may not get rich doing it, but you get rich in other ways, and that’s something I take home with me every day,” Kerby said.

Howard County Police Chief Bill McMahon described PFC Marichal, a Purple Heart veteran of the Army and second-time officer of the year, as a force of change in Long Reach.

“Unfortunately, [Long Reach] is a community that, at times, has not had the trust in the police department that we would like,” McMahon said, crediting Marichal for “almost single-handedly turning that around.”

McMahon said the time Marichal devotes to speaking to citizens and meeting with local business owners is what helps set him apart from most police officers.

In addition to the awards given to Howard County personnel, several Baltimore County police officers and firefighters were recognized by the Knights of Columbus, as well as student artists, teachers and citizens active in their communities and churches.