Leppert Family Honored with MSFA Family Appreciation Program Award

Leppert Family Honored with MSFA Family Appreciation Program Award

On June 23, 2026, at the Annual Conv. of the Md. St. Firefighters Assoc., the Leppert family received the Family Appreciation Prog. Award.

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - OCEAN CITY, Md. — For generations, service has been a family tradition for the Leppert family.

That legacy was recognized Tuesday, June 23, during the 133rd Annual Convention of the Maryland State Firefighters Association (MSFA), when the family of Jeff and Natali Leppert and Todd and Jennifer Leppert received the Association's prestigious Family Appreciation Program Award.

Presented annually by the MSFA Recruitment and Retention Committee, the Family Appreciation Program Award recognizes the families of volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel whose unwavering support makes volunteer emergency service possible.

While firefighters often receive public recognition, the Family Appreciation award acknowledges the countless sacrifices made by spouses, children, parents and extended family members who willingly share holidays, family dinners, birthdays and sleepless nights with those who answer emergency calls.

For the Leppert family, that commitment spans multiple generations.

The family has long been synonymous with the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1, where generations of Lepperts have dedicated themselves to protecting the residents of Westminster and Carroll County. Beyond the fire service, members of the family have also served their communities through distinguished careers in law enforcement, continuing a tradition of public service that extends well beyond the firehouse.

According to the MSFA, nominees for the Family Appreciation Program Award must represent active volunteer fire or EMS members with at least five years of volunteer service. Families are selected based upon their continued support of emergency responses, firefighter training, fundraising efforts and their commitment to the teamwork that forms the foundation of every successful volunteer fire company. Nominations must also receive the endorsement of the department's chief or president.

For members of the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1, the recognition carries additional historical significance.

The Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 traces its origins to the early nineteenth century and today stands among Maryland's oldest volunteer fire departments.

Throughout more than 200 years of service, generations of volunteers have answered alarms ranging from structure fires and rescues to hazardous materials incidents, motor vehicle collisions, severe weather emergencies and emergency medical calls. The department has grown with the community while maintaining its tradition of volunteer service and preserving its remarkable history through one of Maryland's finest collections of firefighting artifacts and historical records.

The department's relationship with the Maryland State Firefighters Association dates to the organization's founding.

The Maryland State Firemen's Association was organized in 1893 to promote cooperation among volunteer fire companies, improve firefighter training and equipment, and provide a unified voice for Maryland's volunteer emergency services. Westminster played an important role during those formative years.

One of Westminster's most respected citizens, John H. Cunningham, was a charter member of the Association and served on its Executive Board from 1898 to 1899. Cunningham, remembered not only as a lifelong Westminster firefighter but also as one of Maryland's most prominent bankers, remained connected with the Association throughout his lifetime and was believed at the time of his death in 1965 to have been its last surviving charter member.

Westminster also welcomed firefighters from across Maryland when it hosted the 14th Annual Convention of the Maryland State Volunteer Firemen's Association on June 6-8, 1906.

Historical records and the official convention program show the Carroll County seat transformed into a celebration of volunteer firefighting, complete with business meetings, public ceremonies, entertainment and fellowship among fire companies from throughout the state.

The convention was held only weeks after the devastating April 1906 Harbaugh Livery Stable fire, which damaged the offices of Westminster city government and the Westminster fire station itself, demonstrating both the resilience of the local department and its ability to host one of Maryland's premier fire service events.

More than 120 years later, that partnership between Westminster and the Maryland State Firefighters Association remains strong.

The recognition of the Leppert family serves as another chapter in that long history.

Volunteer fire departments are sustained not only by the firefighters who climb aboard the apparatus when the alarm sounds, but also by the families who remain behind, accepting interrupted meals, missed holidays and countless late-night responses as part of everyday life. Their support allows volunteers to continue serving their neighbors whenever emergencies arise.

The Family Appreciation Program Award recognizes those quiet sacrifices.

For Jeff and Natali Leppert, Todd and Jennifer Leppert, and the generations of the Leppert family who have dedicated themselves to the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 and to public safety throughout Maryland, the award is a fitting tribute to a family whose tradition of service continues to strengthen both its department and its community.

As Maryland's volunteer fire service gathered once again for its annual convention, the honor served as a reminder that while emergency response begins with dedicated firefighters, it is often sustained by the families standing beside them every step of the way.

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