Fire Fleet Manager Gerald DeYoung tied for fifth in Firehouse's 2026 EVT of the Year awards. He and the Fire Shop keep the city's fire trucks ready to roll.

The man who keeps Miami Beach’s fire trucks running has been named one of the best emergency vehicle technicians in the country.

Fire Fleet Manager Gerald “Jerry” DeYoung finished in the top five of the 2026 Firehouse Magazine EVT of the Year Awards. The Miami Beach Fire Department announced the honor in a city release Wednesday.

Where he placed

The Firehouse results page, which the city published with its release, lists six technicians. DeYoung shared fifth place.

Place Technician Department
Grand prize John Nieves, lead technician City of Round Rock, Texas
2nd Zack Loesekann, emergency vehicle technician First Due EVS, Morganton, North Carolina
3rd Mark Sirianne, fleet manager Evergreen Fire/Rescue, Evergreen, Colorado
4th James “Kirby” Boober, lead mechanic Northwest Public Safety Consortium, Darrington, Washington
5th (tie) Gerald DeYoung, fire fleet manager Miami Beach Fire Department
5th (tie) Steve “Doug” Wilson, fire mechanic San Rafael Fire Department, San Rafael, California

The award recognizes technicians for excellence in fleet maintenance, mechanical reliability, innovation and a commitment to firefighter safety, the department said.

The Fire Shop

DeYoung leads the department’s Fire Shop. He and his team maintain the department’s fleet of emergency vehicles so the apparatus stays operational and ready to respond, the department said.

“Jerry is an exceptional leader who keeps our Fire Shop running smoothly,” Fire Chief Digna Abello said in the release. “Our firefighters depend on reliable apparatus to safely and effectively respond to emergencies, and Jerry and his team work tirelessly behind the scenes to make that possible.”

What it means for you

When you call 911 in Miami Beach, the engine or rescue truck that arrives has been kept on the road by this shop. A breakdown takes a vehicle out of service, so the mechanics’ work bears directly on how quickly help reaches you.

A free exhibit marking 100 years of Miami Beach Ocean Rescue is up at Galeria Ocean Drive through February 2027. Read about the Ocean Rescue centennial exhibit in Lummus Park. For fire and police calls in the city, see the Police and Fire log.