After death of beloved fire chief, Zoneton fire district names 24-year veteran as successor Share Updated: 11:21 PM EDT Apr 21, 2021 WLKY Digital Team Share Updated: 11:21 PM EDT Apr 21, 2021
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Show Transcript RIGHT NOW, THIS IS WLKY NEWS AT 11:00. RICK: THE ZONETON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT HAS A NEW LEADER. VICKI: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAMED KEVIN MOULTON AS CHIEF. HE SUCCEEDS CHIEF ROB ORKIES, WHO DIED IN DECEMBER AFTER A BATTLE WITH CANCER AND COVID-19. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO LOST MAJOR GARRY KEY TO COVID IN FEBRUARY. MOULTON SAYS HIS PROMOTION IS BITTERSWEET. TWO BE ABLE TO TO BE ABLE TO FILL THE SHOES THAT ARE SO BIG HERE FOR ZONETONE FIRE AT A MOVING FORWARD WITH THE LEGACY WE HAVE LOST OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH THE FIRE CHIEF AND MAJOR KEY. IT IS BITTERSWEET TO STEP INTO THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND CONTINUE ON THEIR LEGACY. VICKI: MOULTON HAS BEEN WITH ZONETON FOR 24 YEA
The Zoneton Fire Protection District has named a new chief.
Kevin Moulton, a 24-year veteran of the department, will take over, succeeding Robert Orkies, who died after contracting the coronavirus.
A three-person board committee made the decision Tuesday night. Moulton was chosen from a pool of five internal applicants, he told The Courier Journal. This is my home, he said. This is my community. My roots are set here. I ve got good relationships with the community, the businesses and everything, and this is what I work towards.
Moulton moved to Bullitt County in 1996 after meeting his wife. He joined the Zoneton Fire Protection District the next year as a volunteer. He continued to move up the ranks, and became a major in 2003 and began volunteering as Orkies assistant chief in 2005. In 2013, Moulton was hired as a full-time fire marshal.
Longest-serving member of Zoneton fire, Major Garry Key, laid to rest Share Updated: 9:06 PM EST Feb 22, 2021 WLKY Digital Team Share Updated: 9:06 PM EST Feb 22, 2021
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Show Transcript FORWARD. ALEXIS: THE BODY OF MAJOR GARRY KEYES WILL BE A LONG PROCESSION ROUTE ON PRESTON HIGHWAY AND WILL PASS THE SAME FIRE DISTRICT WHERE THE MAJOR SERVED FOR 36 YEARS. IT IS A TRIBUTE TO A MAN WHO MANY SAY WAS MORE THAN A FIREFIGHTER. TODAY, WE CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF MAJOR GARRY KEY, A MENTOR, A FRIEND AND A TRUE HERO. ALEXIS: A FIRE JACKET WITH THE INITIAL G. KEY AND HELMET SIT NEXT TO A ZONETON COMMUNITY HERO WHO TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MANY. AFTER A MONTH-LONG BATTLE WITH CORONAVIRUS, MAJOR AND BATTILLION CHIEF GARRY KEY PASSED AWAY ON FEBRUARY 13 THE LAST THREE MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN TESTED. OUR BOND HAS ONLY GROWN STRONGER. ALEXIS: MAJOR KEY’S DEATH IS A SECOND BLOW TO THE DEPARTMENT AS THEY’RE STILL GRIEVING THE LOSS OF MAJOR
On Monday, the community gathered along Preston Highway to say their final goodbye. Author: Chris Williams Updated: 7:31 PM EST February 22, 2021
ZONETON, Ky. Zoneton Fire Chief Major Garry Key was laid to rest after battling COVID-19.
On Monday, the community gathered along Preston Highway to say their final goodbyes. Some of those who stood in the cold to honor Chief Key only knew the man by reputation. Others had their own heartfelt reasons to be there, but for many the moment was also to send a message to the men and women continuing his watch.
It was the second time in a little more than two months the department and community gathered along the route to say goodbye to a long-time colleague and friend. In December, Chief Rob Orkies passed away after battling cancer and COVID-19.
After battle with cancer & COVID-19, Zoneton fire Chief Robert Orkies dies Share Updated: 11:17 PM EST Dec 11, 2020 Share Updated: 11:17 PM EST Dec 11, 2020
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Show Transcript COVID-19. HERE S HOW HE S BEING REMEMBERED. HOLDING HANDS AND COMFORTING ONE ANOTHER IN PRAYER THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE OUTSIDE LAURENS HOSPITAL IN ST. MATTHEWS ON FRIDAY AS LOVED ONES AND THOSE IN THE ZONETON FIRE DEPARTMENT LEARNED THAT THE CHIEF DIED AFTER BATTLING CANCER AND COVID-19. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT S DARKEST HOURS. WE VE NEVER LOST A MEMBER BEFORE. THE DEPARTMENT SAYS HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER BACK IN SEPTEMBER, BUT DURING HIS CHEMO TREATMENT HE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. HE WAS HOOKED UP TO A VENTILATOR FOR MOR THAN A MONTH. MAYBE HE S AROUND THE CORNER BUT THEN THE NEXT DAY THE NUMBERS WOULD GO DOWN REAL BAD. DESPITE HOURS AFTER HIS DEATH A PROCESSION SOON FOLLOWED AFTER HIS BODY WAS TRANSPORTED TO T