Congratulations to Deputy Tony Ramaeker! Scheels and American Heroes Outdoors have teamed up to capture and share stories of real heroes living in local communities. Officer Tony Ramaeker is a first responder at the Douglas County Sheriffs Office and is a local metro area hero. The First Responders Foundation is proud to announce that Deputy Ramaeker was recently named a Scheels Home Town Hero and was honored at the Scheels store at Village Pointe in Omaha on March 31st.
The First Responders Foundation is delighted to welcome Mary Ann O’Brien to its Board of Directors. Mary Ann is the CEO and Founder of OBI Creative – an internationally recognized research, strategic communications, and advertising agency with offices in Omaha, Des Moines, and San Diego.
If you’ve ever wondered how important smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in homes, here are some life-saving examples. These are devices we most often take for granted.
Francisco and Fidela needed a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector. They reached out to their son, Captain Lara of the Omaha Fire Department. They fit the criteria for eligibility to receive the detector from the First Responders Foundation and the Omaha Fire Department by owning their home and being physically or financially unable to provide it themselves. The Omaha Fire Department made a visit to their home and installed the detector in their living room.
The First Responders Foundation welcomes Mike Corrigan, to the Board of Directors, as the new treasurer of the board. Mike is the VP Commercial Relationship Manager with Access Bank. Mike has been with Access for five years and works with new and existing commercial businesses. The Foundation has been banking with Access for more than a year and finds them extremely helpful and engaging. The Foundation is pleased to have Mike’s expertise on the board and looks forward to working with him for more than one reason. Mike is uniquely qualified for this position because not only does he bring financial expertise to the board, he is also a first responder.
Meet Awards of Excellence winners, Connor and Tony Rinn. These brothers are students at Midland University in Fremont, NE. Tony is pursuing a degree in Secondary Education and Connor is majoring in Criminal Justice
The Awards of Excellence are given to high school seniors who demonstrate good character, balanced achievement, and outstanding commitment to the community. These students are also children of local first responders. The Rinn brothers’ father, Bill Rinn is a Captain with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
The First Responders Foundation’s mission is to serve and honor all our First Responders, Veterans, and their families, build appreciation and respect for their work and enhance public safety. On that journey this year, the Foundation has impacted first responders and their families in many ways. Below is a list of twenty impacts in 2020!
We thank the private citizens, the organization, and the businesses who have supported the Foundation this year making it possible to make a difference in the lives of first responders and their families.
Without Guns and Hoses and our Annual 9/11 Luncheon of Honor, our yearly fundraising events, this year has been particularly difficult as it has been for many social impact organizations. Your support has been and is now appreciated more than you will ever know, and allow us to continue our vital programming.
The First Responders Support Team (FRST) specializes in working with first responders on behavioral health issues and Suicide Prevention training.
Co-Director of the FRST Team, clinician Stephanie Levy, shares how the First Responders Foundation has been working with local first responders over the last year and a half, how barriers are being broken, and how progress is being made to help prevent suicide in this demographic.
Unfortunately, first responders are statistically more apt to die by suicide than on the job, or in the line of duty.
Hello, my name is Hannah. I am currently enrolled at Metro Community College working towards a Fire Science degree.
About two years ago I took a career academy through MCC for Fire Science. During the academy I learned about the Tri-County Fire Explorers program. My instructors at MCC told me being involved in the program was a great opportunity. At that time I did not know for sure if I wanted to be a firefighter. I knew the program would allow me to get my foot in the door and I knew I would learn a lot. Continue reading “Hannah and the Tri-County Fire Corps”
“Ginger gave me my life back” was how Suz explained her relationship with her service dog.
Suz knew that something had to change. She was not doing activities that she loved. She was not enjoying life. And then came to Ginger!
Suz joined the Navy after college. She started with the reserves, and then joined the Navy and attended Bootcamp in Orlando, FL. She was stationed in San Diego, CA. One night while she was on duty she was bitten by a black widow. Unfortunately, the bite was misdiagnosed and treated as a cactus prick, and the venom from the black widow went through her system.
Suz spent two years in the hospital, had twelve surgeries, and multiple times doctors thought they would have to take her leg. Fortunately, her leg was saved. She still gets steroid shots and has residual pain but she has full use of her leg.
Congratulations to Ken Kanger our most recent inductee into the National Society of St. Florian and St. Michael.
Today we honor Deputy Chief Ken Kanger. Deputy Chief Ken Kanger began his work with the Omaha Police Department in 1997 as a Police Officer. He has worked in the Uniform Patrol Bureau in the Northwest and Northeast Precincts, as well as the Criminal Investigations Bureau in the Special Victims Unit, Homicide Unit and Narcotics Unit.
He was promoted to Sergeant in 2007 and assigned as a supervisor in the Northeast Precinct of the Uniform Patrol Bureau, and then was assigned to the Homicide Unit of the Criminal Investigations Bureau. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2010 and assigned to the Crime Analysis Unit. In 2012, he was assigned to the Gang Unit where he saw the opportunity to work with youth through intervention and prevention to keep kids from becoming involved in criminal activity or becoming victims of violence.
He was promoted to Captain in 2017 and was assigned to command the Special Operations Section of the Criminal Investigations Bureau, which includes both the Gang and Narcotics Units. He now serves in the role of Deputy Chief, overseeing the entire Criminal Investigations Bureau.
Deputy Chief Kanger sees the potential in the youth of our community. He strongly believes in the message set by Inky Johnson, a former college football player who was injured and turned his injury into motivation for himself and others. Johnson tells people to “empty the bucket”, to give everything you’ve got. You can see Deputy Chief Kanger spreading this message in our community.
Deputy Chief Kanger serves our community on the baseball field as a volunteer coach for PACE (Police Athletics for Community Engagement). He strives to give our youth an outlet for success through positive interactions and activities. He has helped establish and participates in a growing initiative called Operation NETS (Neighborhood Engagement Through Sports) which replaces torn neighborhood basketball nets with new ones and provides new sports equipment to at risk youth. He is also a coach through Operation NETS. It is reported he builds relationships with kids and the community. He truly cares for people and his actions speak volumes. Just spend a few minutes with Deputy Chief Kanger and you will see it for yourself.
Deputy Chief Kanger received the Metropolitan Chief’s Association Leadership Award and the Kerrie Orozco Award for Community Service in 2017. He was the Crime Stoppers Jack Swanson – Lloyd Grimm Officer of the Year in 2003. He’s also involved with Gesu Housing, Abide, Coalition RX and he is a consistent presence at Omaha 360.
Deputy Chief Kanger was nominated by a kind citizen who wanted to see him recognized for his commitment to public safety and bettering the community.
Deputy Chief Kanger subscribes to one motto, “Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself”.
We thank Deputy Chief Kanger for his dedicated service to the city of Omaha and for making a difference in the lives of so many in our community. Again, congratulations Ken!
Nominate your hero to receive this outstanding recognition. Nominees receive a Personalized Certificate and a two-sided Saint Florian and Saint Michael Challenge Coin in a showcase box. Click here to learn more.
Hello, my name is Hannah. I am currently enrolled at Metro Community College working towards a Fire Science degree.
Suz knew that something had to change. She was not doing activities that she loved. She was not enjoying life. And then came to Ginger!
Deputy Chief Kanger serves our community on the baseball field as a volunteer coach for PACE (Police Athletics for Community Engagement). He strives to give our youth an outlet for success through positive interactions and activities. He has helped establish and participates in a growing initiative called Operation NETS (Neighborhood Engagement Through Sports) which replaces torn neighborhood basketball nets with new ones and provides new sports equipment to at risk youth. He is also a coach through Operation NETS. It is reported he builds relationships with kids and the community. He truly cares for people and his actions speak volumes. Just spend a few minutes with Deputy Chief Kanger and you will see it for yourself.
