SERVPRO Honors Fallen Firefighter at First Responder Bowl

12 Honor a Responder Awards Given at Bowl Games Across the Country 

Gallatin, Tennessee, January 4, 2025—Continuing the tradition of honoring the outstanding and heroic work of first responders, SERVPRO recognized a deserving firefighter in front of an appreciative crowd prior to kickoff of the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. 

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is the only annual college football bowl game dedicated to the brave men and women who are the first to respond when emergencies and disasters happen. This year’s game, held January 3 on the campus of Southern Methodist University’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium, was an exciting matchup between two local Texas teams – North Texas Mean Green and the Texas State Bobcats.  

During the game, SERVPRO acknowledged several first responders, including the athletes of the Firefighter Challenge League and the relationship with the First Responders Children's Foundation. 

The highlight of the recognition was the 2024 Award of Excellence, which was presented to the late Captain James “Jim” Cova, who served with the Affton Fire Protection District in St. Louis, Missouri. Capt. Cova demonstrated incredibly selfless acts of bravery, leadership, and friendship before his passing on July 9, 2024.  

While they may have been on opposing sidelines, fans rose together in unison to honor the memory of Capt. Cova. The award was accepted on his behalf by his wife and daughters – Alanna, Alyssa, and Kelsey.  

Fans were treated to a thrilling game that came down to the final plays when Texas State edged out North Texas 30-28 to become the first back-to-back FRB champions in front of more than 28,000 fans and a national television audience on ESPN. 

In addition to the Award of Excellence winner, SERVPRO was proud to honor first responders at 12 other NCAA bowl games for service that went above and beyond the call of duty.  

This year’s SERVPRO Honor a Responder recipients are: 

• Armed Forces Bowl – Sgt. Billy Randolph, Ft. Worth Police Department – EOW 8/12/24 
• Birmingham Bowl – Firefighter Jordan Melton, Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service – EOW 7/17/2023 
• Boca Raton Bowl – Deputy James Martinez, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office 
• Salute to Veterans Bowl – Fire Captain Joshua B. Piatt, Montgomery Fire/Rescue 
• Celebration Bowl – Officer Zachary Anderson, Villa Rica Police Department 
• Frisco Bowl – Officer Dan Thomas, Celina Police Department 
• Gasparilla Bowl – Engineer Damien Linebaugh, Port Richey Fire Department 
• Hawai’i Bowl – Officer Tiare Perry, Honolulu Police Department 
• Las Vegas Bowl – Firefighter Loren Fraley, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue 
• New Mexico Bowl – BSCO Open Space Unit, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office 
• Potato Bowl – Officer Cody Huss & K9 Riddick, Nampa Police Department 
• Texas Bowl – Officer Scott Durfee, Houston Police Department 

(EOW – End of Watch) 

For more information about the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, visit firstresponderbowl.com.  

To support first responders affected by the Southern California wildfires, visit the First Responders Children’s Foundation.  

About SERVPRO^® 

For more than 50 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, construction, mold mitigation, biohazard and pathogen remediation. SERVPRO’s professional services network of more than 2,200 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small – from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners and major insurance companies alike rely on SERVPRO to make it “Like it never even happened.”