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Firefighters honored by their peers
By Jo Rafferty, Staff Writer
Thursday, May 15, 2008 | 1 comment(s)
Dennis James, a volunteer firefighter with the Coos Bay Fire Department, said he didn’t see it coming.
“I was shocked. Apparently, somebody was watching,” James said. “It’s like, it happens to somebody else. It’s never me.”
James received the department’s 2008 Firefighter of the Year award.
The Coos Bay resident divides his time between his family — his wife, Luann James and three daughters, Morgan, 12, Kaitlyn, 10 and Lindsay, 8 — and his regular job as a heating and air conditioning technician, among other things.
“I do what I can for the fire department, within my boundaries with work, family, the church,” James said. “Trying to help out wherever you can — that’s the fun part about it.”
The fire department honored James at a banquet in April. He said he was happy his wife was there to see him receive his award.
“There’s a lot of other people I knew were qualified, too,” he said. “To be up there with them — it was really something.”
To receive the award, Fire Chief Stan Gibson said firefighters have to be involved in other community events, in addition to fighting fires.
“I think that’s really a key point there,” Gibson said. “The award is based upon not only being a volunteer firefighter, but also community functions that we do.”
There’s the Fourth of July in Mingus Park Family Fun Day celebration.
“We were setting off fireworks,” Gibson said.
“That’s a blast!” James said.
James also helps during several other events throughout the year, such as stringing holiday lights and taking them down at Shore Acres and picking up discarded Christmas trees.
He said he was one of two from the department who were picked to attend the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmittsburg, Md., in October 2007.
“Bush was there,” James said. “That was quite a thrill — a once in a lifetime thing.”
Fourteen firefighters in all received various awards this year (see sidebar). Gibson pointed out that most of the awards aren’t designated specifically for a volunteer or career firefighter, but to the ones who deserve them most. The firefighters were nominated by their peers. Gibson said multiple nominations were received in each category.
“We’re pleased to recognize people who are doing a good job, who we’re happy to have with us,” Gibson said. “We should also be happy with their level of commitment.”
James, 45, has been with the department since 2003, but said he wishes he had followed his dreams earlier in life.
“If I could do my life again, I’d be a paid firefighter,” he said. “But, I’m happy to be a volunteer.”
2008 Coos Bay Firefighters Awards
Years of Service awards
* Volunteer firefighter Wayne Steward — five years
* Career firefighter Kevin Cunningham — five years
* Career firefighter Kevin Haagen — five years
* Career firefighter Lt. Randy Miles — 25 years
Retirement awards
* Volunteer firefighter Ray Wittwer — 15 years
* Volunteer firefighter Steve Schneiderman — 25 years
Training awards
* Career firefighter Jason Wilson — 214 hours
* Volunteer firefighter Jon Eck — 80 hours
“This is for training outside the organization,” Coos Bay Fire Chief Stan Gibson said. “It shows a level of commitment that we want to recognize.”
General alarm awards
* Career firefighter Dan Crutchfield — 74 percent
* Volunteer firefighter Ben Rolicheck — 65 percent
“That award goes to firefighters who attend the most general alarms,” Gibson said. “(It shows) how many times they came back in. That just shows the community they’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Rookie of the Year award
* Volunteer firefighter Frank Kaiser
Firefighter of the Year award
* Volunteer firefighter Dennis James
Community service awards
* Mark and Gina Daily
* Volunteer firefighter Lt. Mike White
“The Dailys are people in the community,” Gibson said. “One of the volunteer’s wife became paralyzed. (The Dailys) stepped up and really did a lot of things for that family. Lt. Mike White also stepped up for that family. We felt like they were really deserving of that award.”
2007 statistics
Last year at the Coos Bay Fire Department the following took place:
* 2,205 alarms — 77 percent emergency medical services
* 34 general alarms — average two hours per alarm
* largest loss — tug boat fire, $750,000
* 382 total years, 161 years of service (career)
* 221 years of service to the city of Coos Bay (volunteer firefighter Ed Johnson, 49 of them)
* 4,150 hours of training (career)
* more than 1,300 hours in community service
* 560 hours of emergency response
* 1,650 hours of training
* 3,490 total hours provided to the city
“I was shocked. Apparently, somebody was watching,” James said. “It’s like, it happens to somebody else. It’s never me.”
James received the department’s 2008 Firefighter of the Year award.
The Coos Bay resident divides his time between his family — his wife, Luann James and three daughters, Morgan, 12, Kaitlyn, 10 and Lindsay, 8 — and his regular job as a heating and air conditioning technician, among other things.
“I do what I can for the fire department, within my boundaries with work, family, the church,” James said. “Trying to help out wherever you can — that’s the fun part about it.”
The fire department honored James at a banquet in April. He said he was happy his wife was there to see him receive his award.
“There’s a lot of other people I knew were qualified, too,” he said. “To be up there with them — it was really something.”
To receive the award, Fire Chief Stan Gibson said firefighters have to be involved in other community events, in addition to fighting fires.
“I think that’s really a key point there,” Gibson said. “The award is based upon not only being a volunteer firefighter, but also community functions that we do.”
There’s the Fourth of July in Mingus Park Family Fun Day celebration.
“We were setting off fireworks,” Gibson said.
“That’s a blast!” James said.
James also helps during several other events throughout the year, such as stringing holiday lights and taking them down at Shore Acres and picking up discarded Christmas trees.
He said he was one of two from the department who were picked to attend the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmittsburg, Md., in October 2007.
“Bush was there,” James said. “That was quite a thrill — a once in a lifetime thing.”
Fourteen firefighters in all received various awards this year (see sidebar). Gibson pointed out that most of the awards aren’t designated specifically for a volunteer or career firefighter, but to the ones who deserve them most. The firefighters were nominated by their peers. Gibson said multiple nominations were received in each category.
“We’re pleased to recognize people who are doing a good job, who we’re happy to have with us,” Gibson said. “We should also be happy with their level of commitment.”
James, 45, has been with the department since 2003, but said he wishes he had followed his dreams earlier in life.
“If I could do my life again, I’d be a paid firefighter,” he said. “But, I’m happy to be a volunteer.”
2008 Coos Bay Firefighters Awards
Years of Service awards
* Volunteer firefighter Wayne Steward — five years
* Career firefighter Kevin Cunningham — five years
* Career firefighter Kevin Haagen — five years
* Career firefighter Lt. Randy Miles — 25 years
Retirement awards
* Volunteer firefighter Ray Wittwer — 15 years
* Volunteer firefighter Steve Schneiderman — 25 years
Training awards
* Career firefighter Jason Wilson — 214 hours
* Volunteer firefighter Jon Eck — 80 hours
“This is for training outside the organization,” Coos Bay Fire Chief Stan Gibson said. “It shows a level of commitment that we want to recognize.”
General alarm awards
* Career firefighter Dan Crutchfield — 74 percent
* Volunteer firefighter Ben Rolicheck — 65 percent
“That award goes to firefighters who attend the most general alarms,” Gibson said. “(It shows) how many times they came back in. That just shows the community they’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Rookie of the Year award
* Volunteer firefighter Frank Kaiser
Firefighter of the Year award
* Volunteer firefighter Dennis James
Community service awards
* Mark and Gina Daily
* Volunteer firefighter Lt. Mike White
“The Dailys are people in the community,” Gibson said. “One of the volunteer’s wife became paralyzed. (The Dailys) stepped up and really did a lot of things for that family. Lt. Mike White also stepped up for that family. We felt like they were really deserving of that award.”
2007 statistics
Last year at the Coos Bay Fire Department the following took place:
* 2,205 alarms — 77 percent emergency medical services
* 34 general alarms — average two hours per alarm
* largest loss — tug boat fire, $750,000
* 382 total years, 161 years of service (career)
* 221 years of service to the city of Coos Bay (volunteer firefighter Ed Johnson, 49 of them)
* 4,150 hours of training (career)
* more than 1,300 hours in community service
* 560 hours of emergency response
* 1,650 hours of training
* 3,490 total hours provided to the city
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