Tryon firefighter Scottie Gosnell was given lifetime firefighter status recently by the Town of Tryon and its fire department.

Gosnell has been a volunteer fireman with the Tryon Fire Department for almost 26 years. He retired recently but will remain a lifetime member and will still be able to fight fires when he chooses.

Firefighters in full dress attended last week’s town council meeting, at which the honor was announced.

Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples read a resolution honoring Gosnell. The fire department also presented Gosnell with a lifetime member helmet.

Gosnell joined the department on Oct. 3, 1984 and answered thousands of calls during his years of service. He earned many awards, including the Jaycee Firefighter of the Year Award, Tryon Fire Department Service Award and the 1991 Clarence G. Scoggins Firefighter of the Year Award.

Gosnell was employed with the town as a Tryon Public Works employee in the streets department from 1980 until 1990. He then worked for the Polk County school system from 1990 to 2010, working at Tryon High School, Polk County High School and for the last 15 years as the Tryon Elementary School custodian.

Gosnell retired from Polk Schools on Sept. 1 and took a position as a custodian with the Holly Springs-Motlow Elementary School, S.C.

The Tryon Board of Comissioners and the Tryon Fire Department thank, honor and recognize Scottie Gosnell for his professionalism, dedication and service to citizens of the Town of Tryon, Tryon Township, Tryon Fire District, Foothills Fire Support Area and Polk County and for his diligence as a key member of the Tryon Fire Department response team, states the towns resolution.