Lt. Spencer Ripperger of the Muscatine Fire Department (MFD) has been named the 2024 Iowa Hazmat Technician of the Year by the Iowa Hazmat Task Force, recognizing his outstanding contributions to hazardous materials response and training. He is the second MFD firefighter to receive this prestigious honor and will attend the International Association of Fire Chiefsโ Hazmat Conference in Baltimore, June 12โ15.
โSpencer has demonstrated exceptional skills and expertise in the hazardous materials field,โ said Captain Pat Gingerich, who nominated Ripperger for the award. โHe has consistently produced outstanding work that has earned him a great reputation within the department.โ Interim Fire Chief Mike Hartman agreed the award was well deserved. โIt is people like Spencer that make this place so special,โ Hartman said.
Ripperger joined the MFD nine years ago, earning his Hazmat Technician certification in 2017. He currently serves as a member and instructor for the departmentโs Hazardous Incident Response Team (HIRT) and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2022. Since then, he has taken on a leading role in advancing the departmentโs Hazmat capabilities.
