On March 11, the Hinesville Fire Department had the honor to present three Ernest “Moe” McDuffie scholarship awards. 

First place went to Brady Kuhl, and second place went to Dominique King. Kuhl and King both attend Bradwell Institute. 

The third-place recipient was Daniel Oliphant, who goes to Liberty County High School.

 The essay scholarship was named after McDuffie, who was a member of the Hinesville Fire Department until his death in February 2018 during a department training exercise. 

McDuffie joined the HFD in 2001. He progressed through to the rank of Engineer in 2007. In 2010, he was promoted to Lieutenant/Deputy Fire Marshal and in 2013 was promoted to Captain, and he became the first African-American Fire Marshal/Chief Fire Investigator.