Town Line, NY — August 18 — The Town Line Volunteer Fire Department honored EMS Captain Chris Kidder for his 13 years of dedication to the department.Kidder began his service in August 2013 and completed the New York State Firefighter 1 Bootcamp as well as EMT certification, as stated by the department.

Throughout his time with the department, Kidder continued to enhance his skills by participating in various fire and EMS training programs, such as Fire Officer 1, Incident Safety Officer, ICS 300, Principles of Building Construction, Pump Operator, Aerial Operator, and Incident Command.

He was promoted to EMS Lieutenant in 2016 and later became EMS Captain in 2017, a role he still holds today.

In addition to his leadership role, Kidder was recognized for receiving the 2014 Firefighter of the Year award and several EMS Provider of the Year honors.

Town Line, established in 1921, operates from two stations and offers fire, EMS, and emergency response services in the communities of Lancaster and Alden.The department reported 945 calls for service in 2025, underscoring the importance of having volunteer personnel available to respond.