During the 49th Annual North Carolina Fire & Life Safety Educators' Conference held this week in Concord, Gilberto Meza-Corral received the Kim Wittig Award of Excellence. This award is given each year to a firefighter who demonstrates excellence in Fire and Life Safety Education in North Carolina.
As a bilingual Fire Safety Educator and Assistant Fire Marshal, with many years of experience as a firefighter, Gilberto has an unmatched passion for reaching those who are often overlooked. An example of this passion is Gilberto’s diligent work to bring bed-shaking smoke alarms to children and young adults in Concord who are hearing impaired.
Gilberto was nominated for the Kim Wittig Award of Excellence by a fellow fire educator. His knowledge, skill, passion, and relentless dedication to serving others made him the perfect candidate for this prestigious award.
“I am grateful and truly humbled to receive this award. It means a lot to me and it’s one of the highlights of my career so far,” said Meza-Corral. “While I’m still speechless from this unexpected recognition, I’m truly honored and will continue using my knowledge, skills, and community connections to reduce risks and save lives.”
Gilberto has been with the City of Concord Fire Department for nine years. In 2024, Gilberto was awarded both the regional and state Firefighter of the Year Award from American Legion Post 51.
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