Emergencies don’t follow a shift schedule. But when crisis strikes—whether it’s a natural disaster, a tragic accident or a public-safety emergency—two groups are always on the clock for their community: convenience store workers and first responders.

The connection is more than just symbolic. Convenience stores are essential for first responders when nothing else in town is open, and when responders stop in to recharge, they often quietly check on the safety of the staff. 

That shared spirit of unwavering service is what the NACS Foundation aims to spotlight every July 24 with its 24/7 Day initiative, which in its seventh year included more than 100 retail brands and more than 30,000 convenience store locations offering deals to first responders—all united in recognition of the tireless individuals who collectively show up at all hours of the day, every day. 

“We know that first responders and hometown heroes don’t do it for the recognition,” said Kevin O’Connell, executive director of the NACS Foundation. “They run toward danger while others evacuate, simply because they want to help—often working a full-time job and using vacation days to respond to tornadoes, wildfires and floods. This year’s 24/7 Day theme, ‘We See You, We Thank You,’ was chosen to let them know that our industry sees the sacrifice, courage and commitment they show daily, whether in quiet moments or in the face of disaster.”

This year, the NACS Foundation gave the industry the opportunity to bring national recognition to the local first responders who make a difference in their daily lives with its inaugural First Responder of the Year award. The Foundation reviewed more than 70 nominations from across the country—ranging from a canine partner to a grandmother still on call and every fearless community servant in between—and narrowed them down to three recipients. 

The grand prize 2025 First Responder of the Year award went to Charles “Carl” Biery Sr., a 79-year-old American Red Cross volunteer from the greater Cincinnati area who for 55 years has been “a presence,” as his son puts it, in the aftermath of more than 4,500 emergencies. He will receive free gas for a year courtesy of GSTV and free Keurig Dr Pepper products for a year. Angela “Angie” Ryan, a manager at a Casey’s in Indiana who has been there for her community not only as a volunteer firefighter when a helicopter crashed or an infant almost drowned but also as a calming, capable force who twice saved customers’ lives at the store, and Kevin Umscheid, a full-time fuel driver for Dara’s Corner Market in Kansas who also volunteers as fire chief for his city and its seven surrounding townships, also received First Responder of the Year recognitions. Both will receive free Keurig Dr Pepper products for a year.

NACS got to know this year’s three honorees through deeply personal nomination letters and conversations with their families, friends and colleagues, who were often the ones most eager to share details that the recipients themselves were too humble to tell. Humility was a common characteristic of each winner, all three of whom spoke more about their team, family or the neighbors they serve than their own achievements.

But they were all put in the spotlight on July 24, when company representatives, nominators, a Member of Congress and even news crews, in some cases, surprised honorees at their local store with balloons, certificates and gifts. Customers and coworkers got to join in, transforming routine workdays into moments of pride, reflection and gratitude. 

A Lifetime of Showing Up: Carl Biery Sr.

Carl Biery Sr. has spent more than half a century walking headfirst into scenes most of us can barely imagine—and staying to comfort those affected long after. Since joining the American Red Cross as a volunteer in 1969, Biery has responded to everything from local house fires and winter storms to national tragedies such as 9/11 with calmness, order and compassion through carrying supplies, comforting families or coordinating with federal investigators.

The list of incidents he has responded to reads like a ledger of some of the most tragic events in America’s recent past. He was among the first responders at the 1977 Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Southgate, Kentucky, the second-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. With smoke still in the air, he assisted in transporting the deceased to a makeshift morgue at the Fort Thomas Armory and calmly provided comfort to victims’ families. When a crowd surge at a Cincinnati The Who concert in 1979 claimed the lives of 11 concertgoers, many of whom were teenagers, he comforted grieving families. At the 1988 Carrollton, Kentucky, bus crash, the deadliest drunk-driving accident in U.S. history, Biery helped devastated families identify the remains of their loved ones. He has braved blizzards, navigated earthquake responses and worked through floods, tornadoes and several fatal plane crashes.

“I nominated him because for 55 years, he has shown up … not just as a first responder but as a calming, compassionate and unshakable force in moments of chaos, from natural disasters to the deeply personal tragedies that never make the news,” said David Biery, Carl Biery’s son, who manages a Hop Shops in Kentucky. “And he’s done it without asking for recognition.” 

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, his son said Biery did not wait for orders. “He mobilized his local chapter, rallied volunteers, organized supply chains and then personally deployed to Montgomery, Alabama, where in the stifling Southern heat and overwhelming heartbreak, he served in shelters and relief operations, helping families who had lost everything find their footing again,” David Biery said.

“I’m really thrilled,” Carl Biery Sr. said of the award. “It’s the hugs and the heartfelt displays of thanks that make it all worthwhile. And I have got to say, there are a lot of first responders out there who are even more deserving than myself.” 

Even now, retired from his career as an accountant and in his late 70s, Biery rises early, ready to lead his 25-person team’s responses across six counties and more than 1,200 square miles. “He has never accepted a paycheck, and he has never sought a title or recognition,” his son said. “He simply answers the call, every single time.” 

“I’ll do it as long as my health holds out,” Biery said. “I joke that I’ll only stop when the Red Cross starts giving out volunteer pensions.” 

Pillar of the Community: Angie Ryan

For Angie Ryan, being store manager of a Casey’s in Rockville, Indiana, is more than running a multimillion-dollar operation—it’s a chance for her to be on the front line for her community in the quiet moments of everyday life.

Trained as a first responder since 2017, Ryan has been called to fiery scenes where chaos has broken out and people are desperate. But her nominators call attention to the simple, lifesaving interventions she has made while on the clock. 

“Please, don’t leave me,” Ryan remembers a customer imploring her in the moments after she identified that he was having a heart attack in her store. “I told him I wouldn’t, and I didn’t. I stayed by his side until the ambulance I had called got there.” The hospital he arrived at later emailed Casey’s corporate office, saying the man probably wouldn’t have lived if Ryan hadn’t been there. 

“Angie is humble, hungry and smart,” said Nicole Lieber, a Casey’s district manager and Ryan’s nominator. “Not only is she a pillar of the community—volunteering and supporting everything from the fire department to 4-H to the schools—but she’s also a businesswoman. Casey’s is a big business with a very small-town brand, and Angie knows that when we show up for our communities every day because it’s the right thing to do, word gets around and people respond with great ROI for us by shopping with us. Of all the managers I oversee, I would say that Angie is the most involved in her community.”

Ryan was coincidentally being recertified as a store training manager on 24/7 Day, so Casey’s took the opportunity to surprise her with the news of the award and celebrate the honor at her store. Lieber and Region Director Wesley Smith were on-site to present Ryan with a certificate and $500 check from Keurig Dr Pepper, and her colleagues from the fire department fire department received a $1,000 donation from Casey’s in her name. “$1,000 for a fire department this small means a lot to them,” Ryan said. 

The accolades have gone beyond NACS, Lieber said, with Ryan’s Member of Congress, Mark Messmer, recognizing Ryan directly and local news crews coming to the store to interview her on video. “Don’t get me wrong—balloons and gift cards and hugs are always great to share with the team,” Lieber said. “But to be able to put Angie in the spotlight at a national level is absolutely the recognition that she deserves.” 

As for Ryan, she pointed to all the other men and women she serves with, including many of her immediate family members—her husband is the local assistant fire chief and her father-in-law is the fire chief. “It’s an honor, I never thought I would get an award for something that I just enjoy doing. Every [first responder] deserves the recognition at some point for what they do because it’s not always easy,” she said.

‘Neighbors Helping Neighbors’: Kevin Umscheid

Nominations rolled in from colleagues across the Pottawatomie County fire department that Kevin Umscheid, a fuel driver for Dara’s Corner Market in St. George, Kansas, helms, sketching a portrait of a chief who leads from the front line.

Umscheid said he’s not inclined to talk about himself. He simply described his path to volunteer service as personal, beginning with inspiration he drew from his parents, who he said “were always big on helping neighbors and doing the right thing.” He began volunteering in 2000, when he felt a need to give back in lieu of serving in the military—a choice that 9/11 only deepened. 

His colleague Alex Kinderknecht, Pottawatomie County assistant fire supervisor, described two back-to-back April 2024 emergencies that tested Umscheid’s leadership: a wildland blaze that grew to more than 8,000 acres spanning three counties, and an EF-3 tornado that struck the city of Westmoreland, damaging more than 20 homes and killing one person. “Kevin was an integral part of the command structure during [the wildfire],” and his readiness helped the department execute a quick, coordinated search-and-rescue response after the tornado, Kinderknecht said.

Pottawatomie County Assistant Emergency Manager DeAun Bailey said Umscheid not only leads his department but also cares for his neighbors. “No matter the time of day or day of the week, whether a holiday or weekend, Kevin drops everything when people need him,” Bailey said. “He truly cares about the citizens he serves, the men and women of his department and the people of Pottawatomie County. He has the heart of a servant.” Pottawatomie County Fire Supervisor Jared Barnes said Umscheid is one of the best people he knows, both professionally and personally.

Umscheid cites teamwork and mutual aid as the backbone of his success, especially considering that he serves as chief of two departments: the city of Westmoreland and the seven surrounding townships that share a station. Balancing the departments’ responsibilities with full-time work at Dara’s is hard, he admits. “The people who pay for it the most is your family.” He thanked his wife, children and wider support network for making it possible. And Dara’s, for being so understanding of his duty to serve. 

See Them, Thank Them, Nominate Them

Though one day on the calendar seems fleeting, the work to make 24/7 Day meaningful is year-round, O’Connell said. And the dedication it honors simply never stops.

As the NACS Foundation continues to honor these heroes, it underscores a fundamental truth: The convenience store industry thrives because of people who care deeply about not only their customers but also the communities they call home.

Whether a first responder wears an EMS uniform every day or just goes above and beyond in their daily life, the recognition is open to anyone who has demonstrated extraordinary service to their community during a crisis.  

Visit conveniencecares.org to learn more about the NACS Foundation and its programs.