Today is the deadline to nominate firefighters from Mahoning County for The Vindicator’s annual Firefighter of the Year competition.

Nominees will be evaluated on dedication, productivity, loyalty and professionalism. They must serve with a fire department in Mahoning County, be at least 18 and hold any rank below chief officer.

Fire department personnel can nominate a fellow firefighter, but nominations also can be submitted by the public. Nominators should include a written statement explaining why the individual meets the criteria for the award, and the nominations should include no more than five pages of supporting documentation, including news articles, fire reports and photos. The winner will be announced in a special section during Fire Prevention Week.

Nominations can be emailed to community events coordinator Sue Shafer at sshafer@tribtoday.com. For more information, call Shafer at 330-841-1696.