The National Park Service has honored Hawaii Volcanoes rangers with its highest award for outstanding achievement in public and employee safety.

The Hawaii Volcanoes' eruption duty rangers receiving the honor are supervisor Gail Minami, Rob Ely, Heidi Lee, John Moraes, Arnold Nakata, Greg Santos and Kelly Wooten. They received the Andrew Clark Hecht Memorial Public Safety Achievement Award for their efforts to prevent serious injuries and deaths.

"Our team emerged from a very strong field of candidates for this award and their accomplishments are truly impressive," said superintendent Cindy Orlando. "Their efforts to increase visitor awareness and safety in a high hazard environment are commendable and the number of visitor contacts amazing."

The award was created in memory of the 9-year-old son of Dr. James and Amy Hecht who died in a 1970 accident in Yellowstone National Park's Crested Pool.