Saturday, January 16, 2016

Volunteer Firefighter Recognition Program Awards

On Saturday, January 16, 2016, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company held its Annual Firefighter Appreciation Banquet at Baywood Greens Clubhouse and recognized many members for their community contributions and volunteerism.

Ladies Auxiliary of the Indian River Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company utilized this event and opportunity to recognize their ladies the years of devoted and diligent service by awarding membership milestones with respect to years of service.

Firefighter of the Year Award – Matthew Zwiebel

The Firefighter of the Year Award is considered an honor within the volunteer fire service to recognize one of its more diligent fire service personnel for their personal dedication and professionalism to excel beyond the call of duty by not only assisting those in need but attempting to make a difference.

After joining the volunteer fire service in May, 2014, this nominee has attempted to lend a helping hand towards many emergency incidents, committee assignments, as well as attending many activities and vigorously participating around the fire house and pursuing fire school training and professional development programs within the fire company.

This nominee knows it’s a volunteer basis, but recognizes the human factor and offers compassion and treats every situation as an opportunity to assist with preservation of property with due care and diligence. This nominee’s demeanor has contributed many hours of volunteering tolerable while offering a pleasurable personality to associate with during functions.

This nominee has contributed as much time as possible while juggling his work, profession, and recreational commitments. Most of all, this nominee desires to lend a helping hand by volunteering within his community. This nominee has been chosen for his hard work when requested to assist. His dedication, diligence and straight-forwardness are greatly appreciated.

Please join me in recognizing – Matthew Zwiebel for this award.

Chief's Recognition Award – Fire Station Day Crew

The Chief's Award category was established to recognize firefighters or fire company member that has served our community by volunteering and in many cases exceeded expectations with perseverance, commitment, and dedication in order to complete the assigned task.

This award is intended to highlight the accomplishments and dedication of a member who has attempted to contribute continual amounts of assistance, patience and devotion to the community for which he/she resides and has parlayed “participation” in many areas of community service and working behind the scenes for little or no recognition. This designee has served our community and organizations for many years.

Volunteerism and community pride are milestones that have been passed down through generations and this recipient is not different.

Since joining Indian River’s volunteer fire service from a variety of “walks of lives” – a retired professional firefighter, a barber, a federal government employee, a truck drive / mechanic, a brick mason / block layer, and other trades. These nominees have provided direction and guidance serving as past Chiefs, Engineers, Assistant Chief Engineers, and Chief Engineers, administrators, treasurers, assistant treasurers, and fire police since joining the company and having more years of volunteering in the fire service then we care to count. The fire service is a tradition and a part of life for these people and this includes many years of experience under their belts. Their commitment to hard-work and being thoughtful members of the volunteer fire service has been greatly appreciated while always stepping in to help when needed.

Therefore, I am pleased to acknowledge these efforts and introduce the 2015 Recipients of the Chief’s Award as our friends for just helping out when needed but being able to count on you to get the job completed. “Thank you” for assisting and volunteering within the fire service for many decades but more specifically for the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company.

Please join us in recognizing members of the Day Crew:  James Wagner, Leolga Wright, Robert Mills, William Tobin, Ray Russell, Jim Becker, Chuck Tancini, and Hayden Klingler.

President's Recognition Award – James R. Wagner and Leolga Wright

The President’s Award category was established to recognize a firefighter or fire company member that has served our community by volunteering and in many cases exceeding expectations with perseverance, commitment, dedication, in order to complete the assigned tasks regardless of the nature of the request.

This award is intended to highlight the accomplishments of an active fire company member who has achieved completion of their respective training, excelled at various tasks, and h attempted to contribute continual amounts of assistance, patience and devotion to the community for which he now resides and has parlayed “participation” in many areas including but not limited the following committee assignment, as well as performing many other tasks specifically requested by the Officer in Charge without recognition. This nominee participates in many activities of the company on a regular basis and hosts numerous events to promote camaraderie and fellowship.

Since joining Indian River’s volunteer fire service these nominees have overcome many challenges and diversity and has been a hard-working, dedicated and thoughtful member of the volunteer fire service since joining the ranks. As such this member has consistency performed endless duties and many hours of research and development, specification apparatus design, evaluation and critic, as well as top participant by attending a large percentage of alarms on an annual basis and unselfishly assumes the tasks of assisting Indian River with keeping our apparatus ready for service.

This year’s volunteerism duties have included: station and building recommendations, designs, and modification; siren refurbishment, restoration, and relocations; fund drive, fundraising; fence installation, fire prevention, and many other special assignments too numerous to mention.

Therefore, I am pleased to introduce the 2015 President’s Award Recipients as Leolga Wright and Jim Wagner.

Each award attendee was presented with an appreciation lamp representing Indian River.

Ladies Auxiliary President Linda Cullen presented Fire Company President Patrick Miller with a check for $20,000 donated to the Indian River Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.