Bainbridge hosts Chenango County Fire Convention for second year running
BAINBRIDGE – Members of the volunteer fire service and other emergency responders gathered in Bainbridge this weekend for the Chenango County Fire Convention. The event, now in its 89th year, is sponsored by the Chenango County Firefighter’s Association. This was the second consecutive year it was hosted by the all-volunteer Bainbridge Fire and EMS Department.
The three-day long event began Friday with a memorial service at the First Methodist Church of Bainbridge. Dinner followed at the Bainbridge Fire Station, where two prestigious awards were presented: The Chenango County Training Award and Chenango County Firefighter of the Year.
“There are many friends to be made and life lessons to be learned in this room,” said Bainbridge Fire Captain Matt Sherman, as he welcomed those in attendance from departments across Chenango and surrounding areas.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith commended all those present for their service and dedication to their departments and their communities.
“We’re here to help, to make every community safer,” he said. “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
Beckwith addressed some of the challenges faced by the fire service as volunteer departments strive to keep up with societal changes, the latest technology and recruit new members.
“These are the things that keep me up at night,” he said.
Through mutual aid agreements, departments are already sharing services, equipment and manpower and “doing more with less,” he said. But he encouraged them to go a step further, to put their resources together and “think outside the box.” He commended the McDonough Fire Department for downsizing.
“I’m not saying give up your history ... or the vision of your founding fathers,” he said, but to see “if there is a more efficient way of saving people’s lives.”
Following Beckwith’s comments, the first of the evening’s awards was presented by Deputy Fire Coordinator George Hanslmaier. Hanslmaier, who supervises fire training in Chenango County, applauded all the departments present for the number of training hours completed within the last year.
“This is the first time in three years that every department in Chenango County participated in state training,” he said.
According to Hanslmaier, the number of hours has increased substantially each year since 2008, when 5,432 hours were completed county-wide. This year, 19 state courses and 11 county courses were offered and departments racked up 7,028 hours in training
“We raised the bar again,” he said.
He stressed the importance of training.
“It starts with officers and involves every recruit that walks in the door,” Hanslmaier said. In today’s changing times, “we need to continue to learn and educate ourselves and the people around us.”
Last year’s recipient, Plymouth, was the first of Chenango’s departments to complete more than 1,000 hours of state training. This year the honor went to the Village of Greene Fire Department, which completed 1,010 hours.
According to Hanslmaier, 23 of the department’s members took seven different courses offered through the county, including nine new recruits who completed Firefighter 1 training.
“I was told today, they have four more waiting,” he said.
Greene’s Cliff Jones, also a deputy fire coordinator, accepted the award on behalf of his department.
The CCFA’s Firefighter of the Year Award was presented by the organization’s president, Cary McConnell. The recipient was Duane “Jake” Jacobs of the Gilbertsville Fire Department.
Jacobs, a retired teacher, has been a member of the volunteer fire service for more than 40 years, according to former Gilbertsville Fire Chief Jim Pochy. Jacobs has served in a number of leadership roles throughout his tenure with the department including, most recently, as secretary and safety officer. He continues to drive the department’s ambulance.
Both Pochy and his wife Susie described Jacobs as a humble man, who is always there to help but does not like recognition.
“He really deserves it,” said Susie Pochy.
Deputy Fire Coordinator Ken Wiggins was also recognized at the dinner, when he was selected as the Convention’s Master of Ceremonies. Wiggins, a longtime member of the New Berlin Fire Department, was credited for his efforts with the Fire Bureau’s communications taskforce.
Bainbridge Fire Chief Kyle Simpkin was accepted a certificate on behalf of his department from the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation’s Buckle Up! So Everyone Goes Home Program. All of the department’s members have signed the program’s pledge to wear their seat belts when responding to an emergency. According to a representative from the NFFF, 25 percent of all firefighter fatalities are due to traffic accidents.
The weekend’s festivities continued Saturday with a firematics competition, demonstrations, training, a parade and live music in Bainbridge’s General Clinton Park.
More photos from the convention will appear in Tuesday’s Evening Sun.
The three-day long event began Friday with a memorial service at the First Methodist Church of Bainbridge. Dinner followed at the Bainbridge Fire Station, where two prestigious awards were presented: The Chenango County Training Award and Chenango County Firefighter of the Year.
“There are many friends to be made and life lessons to be learned in this room,” said Bainbridge Fire Captain Matt Sherman, as he welcomed those in attendance from departments across Chenango and surrounding areas.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith commended all those present for their service and dedication to their departments and their communities.
“We’re here to help, to make every community safer,” he said. “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
Beckwith addressed some of the challenges faced by the fire service as volunteer departments strive to keep up with societal changes, the latest technology and recruit new members.
“These are the things that keep me up at night,” he said.
Through mutual aid agreements, departments are already sharing services, equipment and manpower and “doing more with less,” he said. But he encouraged them to go a step further, to put their resources together and “think outside the box.” He commended the McDonough Fire Department for downsizing.
“I’m not saying give up your history ... or the vision of your founding fathers,” he said, but to see “if there is a more efficient way of saving people’s lives.”
Following Beckwith’s comments, the first of the evening’s awards was presented by Deputy Fire Coordinator George Hanslmaier. Hanslmaier, who supervises fire training in Chenango County, applauded all the departments present for the number of training hours completed within the last year.
“This is the first time in three years that every department in Chenango County participated in state training,” he said.
According to Hanslmaier, the number of hours has increased substantially each year since 2008, when 5,432 hours were completed county-wide. This year, 19 state courses and 11 county courses were offered and departments racked up 7,028 hours in training
“We raised the bar again,” he said.
He stressed the importance of training.
“It starts with officers and involves every recruit that walks in the door,” Hanslmaier said. In today’s changing times, “we need to continue to learn and educate ourselves and the people around us.”
Last year’s recipient, Plymouth, was the first of Chenango’s departments to complete more than 1,000 hours of state training. This year the honor went to the Village of Greene Fire Department, which completed 1,010 hours.
According to Hanslmaier, 23 of the department’s members took seven different courses offered through the county, including nine new recruits who completed Firefighter 1 training.
“I was told today, they have four more waiting,” he said.
Greene’s Cliff Jones, also a deputy fire coordinator, accepted the award on behalf of his department.
The CCFA’s Firefighter of the Year Award was presented by the organization’s president, Cary McConnell. The recipient was Duane “Jake” Jacobs of the Gilbertsville Fire Department.
Jacobs, a retired teacher, has been a member of the volunteer fire service for more than 40 years, according to former Gilbertsville Fire Chief Jim Pochy. Jacobs has served in a number of leadership roles throughout his tenure with the department including, most recently, as secretary and safety officer. He continues to drive the department’s ambulance.
Both Pochy and his wife Susie described Jacobs as a humble man, who is always there to help but does not like recognition.
“He really deserves it,” said Susie Pochy.
Deputy Fire Coordinator Ken Wiggins was also recognized at the dinner, when he was selected as the Convention’s Master of Ceremonies. Wiggins, a longtime member of the New Berlin Fire Department, was credited for his efforts with the Fire Bureau’s communications taskforce.
Bainbridge Fire Chief Kyle Simpkin was accepted a certificate on behalf of his department from the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation’s Buckle Up! So Everyone Goes Home Program. All of the department’s members have signed the program’s pledge to wear their seat belts when responding to an emergency. According to a representative from the NFFF, 25 percent of all firefighter fatalities are due to traffic accidents.
The weekend’s festivities continued Saturday with a firematics competition, demonstrations, training, a parade and live music in Bainbridge’s General Clinton Park.
More photos from the convention will appear in Tuesday’s Evening Sun.
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