After three years of service on the Cornbelt Fire Department, Mahomet resident Travis Molitor was recognized as the Cornbelt “Fireman of the Year” by the Mahomet Chamber of Commerce Tuesday night.
Molitor learned of the honor in December at the Cornbelt Fire Department Annual Banquet.
“I was taken back,” Molitor said. “It was unexpected because that’s not why I’m here. I’m here for the community and my fellow firefighters. To be recognized was surprising to me.”
Molitor volunteered as a youth coach with the Mahomet Recreation Department when his two sons, now 9 and 11, were younger. As they became more competitive, Molitor realized he could give back to the Mahomet community in a different way.
Alongside his firefighter responsibilities, which include training twice a month and two nights a week on call, he has also become an EMT, a part of the dive team and is qualified to train new recruits.
The Cornbelt Fire Department answered over 800 calls last year. With a broad scope of situations, Molitor realized the majority of them required medical training. With minimal first aid training, he decided to become an EMT.
“If we’re going to run these calls, I need to be able to help,” he said. “I found ways to challenge myself. I’ve always thought of myself as someone who gives 100 percent. That’s how I operate. I don’t do anything partially.”
With a full-time job and a family at home, becoming a firefighter has helped Molitor with time management. He also enjoys the camaraderie within the Cornbelt Fire Department.
“I give what I can give,” he said. “That really all anyone can do.”
