Robin Summers, station commander of the DeKalb County Fire Department’s Short Mountain station, was presented the 2014 Firefighter of the Year Award at the department’s annual awards banquet on Jan. 17.
County Fire Chief Donny Green was master of ceremonies for the event, held at the DeKalb County Complex Auditorium featured a catered meal and entertainment from comedian and ventriloquist Steve Brogan, who mixed stand-up comedy, puppetry and audience participation. Approximately 175 people, including firefighters, their families, local and state officials, graduates of the 2014 Citizens’ Fire Academies (Spring and Fall session), and community partners attended.
Captain Anthony Boyd presented the Firefighter of the Year Award, saying that Summers had more than earned the honor.
"The nomination process for Firefighter of the Year considered fire call responses, training attendance, and community service participation,” Boyd said. “The fire calls and training attendance stand for themselves. Robin excelled in both of those areas. He has demonstrated outstanding community service by taking the lead in fire prevention and education activities throughout the year. As station commander, Robin has gone to great lengths to make himself available to train new recruits at his station, while also providing frequent refresher training to his veteran members assigned to the Short Mountain station. The DeKalb County Fire Department attempts to recognize firefighters who reflect a positive image of the department in the community, and there’s absolutely no doubt that Robin has earned the honor of being named DeKalb County Fire Department’s 2014 Firefighter of the Year.”
The department’s 2014 Officer of the Year is Lieutenant Brian Williams. Chief Green presented the award, highlighting Williams’ achievements in training attendance, incident response, and community service.
“Brian demonstrated an outstanding level of community service by taking the lead in our department’s partnership with the Tennessee Fire Marshall’s Office in the ‘Get Alarmed Tennessee’ smoke alarm program,” Green said. “From April 2013 to December 2014, Brian sacrificed his personal time and expense to travel to every community in DeKalb County and deliver and install just over 1,000 smoke alarms in homes with no alarms or deficient alarms.
“The degree of safety for our DeKalb County residents has been dramatically improved with Brian’s efforts in this program responsibility that he voluntarily accepted,” the chief continued “This so clearly demonstrates exceptional community service while going above and beyond normal training and emergency response duties, and is exactly why Lt. Brian Williams was selected and recognized with the 2014 Officer of the Year Award.
Station Commander Jeremy Neal of the Blue Springs station was honored with the department’s 2014 “Git R Done" award.
Lieutenant Jay Cantrell presented the award, saying that it is given each year to a firefighter who demonstrates exceptional sacrifice by attending work sessions, additional instructor-led fire related training, and working to enhance the department’s fundraising success. Neal took on the lead role in planning and redesigning the department’s Jamboree food booth, used at the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival, the department’s major fundraising event.
“He headed up a renovation project that doubled the size of the food booth and helped make our 2014 food booth fundraiser the most successful year ever,” Cantrell said. “Jeremy’s commitment to sacrifice his personal time and lead numerous work sessions involved in this project clearly shows why he is being recognized as the 2014 recipient of the DeKalb County Fire Department’s ‘Git R Done’ Award.”
Rookie of the Year honors went to Firefighter Steven Lawrence of the Liberty Station. Assistant Chief/Training Officer David Agee presented the award, and told the assembly that the award is exclusively based on hours of training. It goes to a firefighter who completed his or her basic recruit training during the calendar year.
“The department feels that the most important thing we can do for our new recruits is to give them basic training and reinforce the importance of training. Consequently, training is the sole criteria used in the Rookie of the Year selection,” Agee said. “From January through December, Steven had 168.75 hours of training, including completion of 64 hours of basic firefighter training. In addition to his basic recruit training, he has completed extra training to improve his firefighting abilities. We certainly want to recognize recruits who demonstrate an outstanding level of commitment to training. Our department is fortunate to have an excellent group of recruits who have excelled in training in 2014. We are proud of all of them.” Agee shared.
A new award titled the “EMS Star of Life Award” was introduced this year to recognize cooperative achievements by members of the department in the area of emergency medical services. The award recognizes a member of the department who goes above and beyond to extend joint cooperation in improving emergency medical training and responses for members of the fire department.
Kristie Johnson, station commander of the department’s main station as well as a DeKalb EMS paramedic, was awarded the inaugural EMS Star of Life Award for her achievement in coordinating an Emergency Medical Responder course that was hosted in DeKalb County. The program allowed many of the department’s members to acquire the training.
Johnson also conducted multiple CPR courses in the county. Because of her efforts, members of the department have gained better access to medical training opportunities. Chief Green presented the award, and commended EMS Director Hoyte Hale for the cooperation and assistance he extended the department.
Meanwhile, a total of 10 firefighters were presented with pins for their years of service. Those recognized were:
5 years of service: Nelson Davis (station commander, Cookeville Highway station),
Bill Fowler (station commander of the Temperance Hall station),
Robin Summers (station commander of the Short Mountain station)
Gary King (Austin Bottom Station)
10 years of service: Jeremy Neal (station commander of the Blue Springs station),
Tim Pedigo (Blue Springs station)
Calvin Tramel (station commander of the Midway station)
15 years of service: Captain Michael Lawrence
25 years of service: Danny Parker (Johnson’s Chapel station)
40 years of service: Wilson Williams (Liberty station)
Assistant Fire Chief David Agee was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership. Agee, a former Captain, Lieutenant, and 19-year member of the department, is currently serving his second term as the assistant chief.
Green also recognized 37 members of the department with incentive awards for their efforts in training attendance and fire call response. Award incentives were provided to firefighters who completed 100 percent of their monthly training and at least 35 percent of their assigned station calls, or at least 75 percent of their monthly training and at least 35 percent of their assigned station calls.
Green said the goal is to use these incentives as a tool to help encourage volunteer firefighters to stay engaged and involved with training and the operation of the department. Firefighters who met the 100 percent attendance criteria in 2014 received $400 each, or a prorated amount if they have been active for less than the full year. Firefighters who met the 75 percent attendance criteria in 2014 received $200 each, or a prorated amount if they have been active for less than the full year.
Firefighters receiving 100 percent level awards were:
Assistant Chief David Agee, Matt Boss, Bill Fowler, Chief Donny Green, Donnie Johnson, Dusty Johnson, Jerry Wayne Johnson, Kristie Johnson, Wayne Johnson, Vert Komoroski, Ronald Merriman, Jeremy Neal, Andy Pack, Shawn Puckett, Brent Reed, Steve Repasy, Robert Sartin, Robin Summers, Calvin Tramel, and Lt. Brian Williams.
Firefighters receiving 75 percent level awards were:
Matt Adcock, Josh Arnold, Brayde Baker, Seth Braseel, Lt. Kyle Casper, Gelasio “Marco” Chacon, Nelson Davis, Anthony Johnson, Mark Johnson, Gary King, Harley Lawrence, Steven Lawrence, Bob Myracle, Jason Neal, Danny Parker, Hugh Washer, and Lt. Chris Wyke.
Belk Station Commander Andy Pack presented a special Award of Appreciation to Joanna Pennington of the Belk Community. Mrs. Pennington has continuously helped secure financial and moral support for the Belk Station for many years, and is known as the “station mother.”
At the conclusion of the event, Green officially announced the promotions of Lieutenant Jay Cantrell to the rank of Captain and Firefighter Jeff Williams to the rank of Lieutenant.
