Honoring a few of the finest

Deepa Bharath

The city’s Fire Department honored three of its best at the sixth

annual Fire and Lifeguard Appreciation Beach Party at Newport Dunes

Thursday evening.

Fire Engineer Craig Johnson was named Firefighter of the Year.

Lifeguard Lt. Rob Williams was awarded Marine Safety Officer of the

year and Omar Kattan was named Seasonal Lifeguard of the Year.

The event was sponsored by Good Dog University, an in-home pet

training service, and hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport

Beach Chamber of Commerce.

“This award tells me that my peers believe that I do a good job,”

Johnson said.

A 22-year veteran in the department, Johnson came to the city

after working for four years at the El Monte Fire Department.

As a firefighter in Newport Beach, Johnson helped design a bag

that carries cervical collars. He was also a member of the

Transportation Committee that helped put into service the

department’s first basic life support ambulance.

Johnson was promoted to engineer in 1998, a job he says he is

passionate about. He recently passed the test that put him on the

list to be promoted to Captain.

He also likes to help those in his department who aspire to get

promoted.

“I enjoy training newer firefighters and helping them achieve

their goals,” he said.

Kattan, a seasonal lifeguard who worked West Newport for the sixth

year this summer, was recognized for the hard work he put in creating

a beach safety information flier at his own time and expense, said

Lifeguard Capt. Eric Bauer.

A UC Berkley senior, majoring in molecular biology, and an

aspiring doctor, Kattan started as a junior lifeguard in Newport

Beach when he was only 9 years old.

“He’s extremely intelligent, very conscientious and

self-motivated,” Bauer said.

The winner of this year’s Marine Safety Officer of the Year, too,

had all those superior qualities, he said. Williams, who has worked

for the city since 1985 and has won Seasonal Lifeguard of the Year

before, has several accomplishments to his credit including setting

up a Web site for his department and holding committee positions in

several lifeguard organizations.

“He’s a great lifeguard,” Bauer said. “He’s a good supervisor and

a mentor and role model to the younger lifeguards. He’s going to be a

future leader of our department.”