Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Cody Dickison in front of his fire engine at the Homewood Fire Station No. 1 on Feb. 18.
Homewood firefighter and paramedic Cody Dickison has been honored with the Firefighter of the Year award for Homewood and the EMS Paramedic of the Year award for Jefferson County, highlighting his dedication and excellence in service.
His transition from landscaping to firefighting, commitment to daily responsibilities and heroic actions set him apart.
“I don’t deserve all the recognition, because I think any other guy would have done it,” Dickison said. “But it is extremely humbling, and it does feel good when you feel like the hard work and the things that you’ve tried to learn and pick up throughout the years come into play, not only at work. … It just feels good to be able to use my skills outside of work and know that it did help somebody.”
Dickison was nominated for Firefighter of the Year by department leadership, and his recognition stemmed from an off-duty incident in August, when he performed CPR on an individual who suffered cardiac arrest while vacationing in Panama City.
For the EMS Paramedic of the Year award, nominations were reviewed by Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services, acknowledging his ongoing dedication and expertise in emergency medical care.
He began his firefighting career in 2019 with the Rocky Ridge Fire Department before joining the Homewood Fire Department in April 2020. Before entering the fire service, Dickison worked in landscaping, but his interest in emergency services was sparked by a conversation with a high school friend attending EMT school.
He pursued EMT training, advanced to paramedic school and earned his paramedic license. Rocky Ridge later sponsored his firefighter training, leading to his recruitment by Homewood.
A typical day for Dickison starts at 7 a.m., when he comes in to prepare for shift change at 7:30 a.m. They review the previous shift’s incidents, and the incoming crews conduct equipment checks and often wash trucks or perform pump tests.
The morning also includes a mandatory workout, followed by training, equipment maintenance, fire hydrant testing and prefire planning. Lunch and dinner are often shared meals at the station, with afternoons dedicated to training, territory familiarization and emergency calls. Evenings allow for relaxation or additional training, depending on call volume.
He attributes his love for the job to the camaraderie within the fire department, describing the bonds among firefighters as familial.
“You spend a third of your life with these people,” Dickison said, “so it’s good to know that they really become more family than they do coworkers.”
Aside from the memories made at the station with friends, one of Dickison’s most memorable calls involved a vehicle accident on Interstate 65, where a police officer discovered an overturned car in a river. The incident required a coordinated response, including water rescue operations and heavy recovery equipment. He has also responded to flood evacuations and executed large-scale training exercises.
Outside of work, Dickison enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children in their Helena home. He takes pride in maintaining his yard and cherishes quality time with his family.
