Staff writer
Travis Parmley has been named Fireman of the Year at Great Bend.
The 1998 Marion High School graduate received the award at a firefighter’s ball Nov. 20 sponsored by the Great Bend Fire Department.
Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano said Parmley received the award based on the number of calls and callbacks to which he responded and his overall involvement in the department.
“Travis does an excellent job for the department.” Napolitano said.
Parmley said he likes to help people and enjoys the diversity of the job.
He has been with the department for 6.5 years. He worked as a cadet in the Florence Fire Department while in high school and became a full-time volunteer after graduating. At Great Bend, it is a full-time job.
Parmley’s mother, Jeanette, said Travis has always been interested in firefighting.
“When he was a little kid and heard the sirens, he would run to the street to watch the fire trucks, and he would say, ‘I’m going to be a fireman someday.’”
Parmley said he is on duty three days a week, 24 hours a day. He works with 23 other firefighters.
He also is on a Hazmat crew, working on cleanup of hazardous material. He is taking classes at Barton Community College to become a paramedic.
Parmley is married to Andi (Shipman) of Florence. Tim and Jeanette Parmley of Florence are his parents.