A Marion County Fire Rescue Chaplain was recently recognized with the Northeast Florida Chapter’s Disaster Cycle Services Volunteer of the Year Award.
The award was presented to Joseph LaCognata in recognition of his service in support of the American Red Cross mission.
Since 2017, LaCognata has served on the Gainesville Disaster Action Team and has been one of the Chapter’s most active volunteers throughout the multi-county Gainesville Response Area, according to a social media post from MCFR.
While COVID-19 lockdowns provided service delivery challenges, LaCognata followed protocols to ensure that American Red Cross met the needs of clients while simultaneously ensuring the safety of his team and the clients being served.
As a member of MCFR, LaCognata often wears the American Red Cross hat when he responds with his firefighter team. According to MCFR, LaCognata has responded to 90 percent of the fires to which Red Cross was dispatched in his county.
LaCognata’s experience with disaster, combined with the empathy and compassion he brings as a Fire Department Chaplain, have made him an enormous asset in serving disaster victims and families. His professionalism, commitment, and willingness to step up whenever he is needed have made him an invaluable member of the Disaster Cycle Services team.
In recognition of LaCognata’s outstanding volunteer service as Disaster Action Team member, the Northeast Florida Chapter was pleased to present the 2022 Disaster Cycle Services Volunteer of the Year Award to him.