The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department awarded Deputy Chief Hoyte Hale the "Highest Attendance Award" at the annual city firemen’s banquet, held Friday night at the Smithville First United Methodist Christian Fellowship Center. Hale received the honor from Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker, who said the deputy chief had attended 154 out of 175 calls in 2015, and participated in more hours of training than any other city firefighter last year at 136. "We only have about 25 members in our department, so it's hard to pick a firefighter of the year from these guys, because just about all of them are firefighters of the year," Parker said.