Fire Battalion Chief Keith Wilder, who just retired from the Raleigh Fire Department, has received the highest award for state service. Wilder received The Order of the Long Leaf Pine award at his RFD retirement celebration on Monday.
The award is presented to people who have made significant contributions to North Carolina and their communities through exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments. People named to The Order become honorary North Carolina “ambassadors” with their names and award dates recorded on a roster maintained by The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society.
Wilder has championed healthcare for firefighters and lobbied for line-of-duty death benefits for their families for decades.
Chief Wilder worked for the Raleigh Fire Department for 38 years. His service covered 14 different assignments including a 20-year period on the Raleigh Fire Department Hazmat team. He was also instrumental in establishing the department’s Health and Safety Compliance Division in 2021 and led it until his retirement.
When accepting the award at Fire Station 12 on Monday, Wilder emphasized his colleagues’ and loved ones’ impact on his career. “This is a huge honor, but I couldn’t have accomplished any of this without everyone’s help,” he said.