Fire Police honor one of their own
NORWICH – The Chenango County Fire Police Association held its annual banquet Saturday evening at Fred’s Inn.
Many of the volunteers who make up the association’s 65 members have dedicated a lifetime of experience to their communities. The members who now serve a supporting role in the fire police were once the emergency personnel who drove their local emergency volunteer services. All members are or were volunteer firefighters; many also wear a number of other hats, including EMS.
Many of those in attendance Saturday made a life ime commitment to their local communities, including Mike Stensland, who has 58 years of volunteer service with the local fire agencies; Dan Fairchild, serving 14 years with the South New Berlin fire police; Terry Myers, 32 years with the New Berlin Fire Department and the last six years with the fire police.
Norwich Town Supervisor Dave Law attended the annual banquet. Law, who has nearly 46 years of volunteer service with local fire agencies himself, said the fire police are vital to several local events.
“Without their continued dedication to the local community, many events would have great difficulty in being successful, many could not even exist at all,” said Law.
The organization donates thousands of man hours, not only to emergency response situations but nearly every major community event, including this weekend’s upcoming Pumpkin Festival, Colorscape, the county fair, Antique Car Show, parades and many more.
The association’s responsibilities include securing accident scenes, controlling traffic and helping with crowd control. Their services have saved the City of Norwich over $22,000 in 2006 in labor costs alone.
Lifetime member and detail coordinator Doc DeBoer of New Berlin was honored with 2007 Fire Police of the Year Award. Fire Police President Rick McConnell said, “This member gives new meaning to the word dedication; in the last 20 years he has not missed a single meeting. He contacts and coordinates others to remind all of us to fulfill our commitments. We should all learn from his example.”
De Boer received the award to a standing ovation and made a brief speech thanking his colleagues, but left with a warning to the concerns facing the association.
“The only regret I have is that, like all other volunteer organizations, we are winding down. Fire service, EMS, volunteers are getting harder and harder to find. Five years from now we’ll be lucky if we can keep this program alive. That being said, I’ve never met a nicer bunch of folks than the people sitting in this room,” said De Boer.
The organization is fully supported by donations. If you would like to make a donation or would like to volunteer for the fire police, contact your local department.
Many of the volunteers who make up the association’s 65 members have dedicated a lifetime of experience to their communities. The members who now serve a supporting role in the fire police were once the emergency personnel who drove their local emergency volunteer services. All members are or were volunteer firefighters; many also wear a number of other hats, including EMS.
Many of those in attendance Saturday made a life ime commitment to their local communities, including Mike Stensland, who has 58 years of volunteer service with the local fire agencies; Dan Fairchild, serving 14 years with the South New Berlin fire police; Terry Myers, 32 years with the New Berlin Fire Department and the last six years with the fire police.
Norwich Town Supervisor Dave Law attended the annual banquet. Law, who has nearly 46 years of volunteer service with local fire agencies himself, said the fire police are vital to several local events.
“Without their continued dedication to the local community, many events would have great difficulty in being successful, many could not even exist at all,” said Law.
The organization donates thousands of man hours, not only to emergency response situations but nearly every major community event, including this weekend’s upcoming Pumpkin Festival, Colorscape, the county fair, Antique Car Show, parades and many more.
The association’s responsibilities include securing accident scenes, controlling traffic and helping with crowd control. Their services have saved the City of Norwich over $22,000 in 2006 in labor costs alone.
Lifetime member and detail coordinator Doc DeBoer of New Berlin was honored with 2007 Fire Police of the Year Award. Fire Police President Rick McConnell said, “This member gives new meaning to the word dedication; in the last 20 years he has not missed a single meeting. He contacts and coordinates others to remind all of us to fulfill our commitments. We should all learn from his example.”
De Boer received the award to a standing ovation and made a brief speech thanking his colleagues, but left with a warning to the concerns facing the association.
“The only regret I have is that, like all other volunteer organizations, we are winding down. Fire service, EMS, volunteers are getting harder and harder to find. Five years from now we’ll be lucky if we can keep this program alive. That being said, I’ve never met a nicer bunch of folks than the people sitting in this room,” said De Boer.
The organization is fully supported by donations. If you would like to make a donation or would like to volunteer for the fire police, contact your local department.
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