Chief Announces New Fire Officers - Brian Martin

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Following elections last month, newly elected and appointed fire officers assumed their posts on October 1, 2008. I’d like to introduce you to them. I’m very happy that Justin Norman has accepted the post of deputy chief after serving as assistant chief for the past few years. Justin was born in Newport News, VA and graduated from Indian River HS and from DelTech with an AA in criminal justice. He has been a BBVFC member since 1996, has served as assistant secretary and training officer, is a nationally certified EMT-B, is a member of the Sussex County Technical Rescue Team and received the Chamber of Commerce’s Valor Award this past spring. Justin lives in Bethany Beach and is a patrolman first class with the Ocean View Police Department. His father, Randy, who passed away last year, was also a BBVFC member and fire police officer. Assistant Chiefs Lucas Powell, Eric Myers and Brian McConlogue are returning and Shane Truitt and Rick Parrett will join them at that rank. Lucas Powell was born and raised in Sussex County and graduated from Indian River HS. He joined the Company in 1994 and is a nationally certified EMT-B. He lives in Fenwick Island with his girlfriend, Sarah Cunningham, who is also a BBVFC member. Luke is a career firefighter/EMT with the Lewes VFC and operates Emergency Pro Property Management LLC. His father, Wilbert, is a life member and former chief of the BBVFC and his mother, Candi, is a long-time member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary. He will be overseeing the new ambulance operation, driver training, the live-in program and breathing apparatus. Eric Myers is a Wilmington native, attended Indian River HS and graduated from Mount St. Mary’s College with a BS in criminal justice. He joined the BBVFC in 1999 and has served as secretary and is currently assistant treasurer of the Company. He lives in Clarksville with his wife, Brandy, who is also a BBVFC member, and is a project manager for Ryan Homes. Eric will be assisting the training officer, managing accountability and overseeing technical fire equipment. Brian McConlogue is a Sussex County native, graduated from Indian River HS and attended DelTech. He is a nationally certified EMT-B, firefighter II and diver. McConlogue is a career firefighter/EMT with the Millville VFC and lives in Bethany Beach. He will manage the company’s computers, mapping, preplanning and reporting systems. Brian is engaged to Liz Moye, a Sussex County paramedic. Shane Truitt has been a member of the BBVFC since 2003 and was with the Roxana VFC for six years before that. He is a nationally certified EMT-B and firefighter II, works as career firefighter/EMT with the Mill Creek VFC in New Castle County and served as a captain last year. He lives in Ocean View with his wife Michelle and their recently arrived triplets. Shane is Superintendent of Supplies and manages communications equipment. Rick Parrett is outgoing president and captain and a life member of the BBVFC, where he has been a member since 1987. He has held virtually every line position in the Company, including fire chief for 6 of the past 11 years, and was also vice president. He is also a past recipient of the Chamber’s Valor Award. Rick is the facilities supervisor at Sea Colony and lives in Bethany Beach with his wife, Betsey, and their son. He will be working on training and communications and coordinating private gates. His father, Rick, Sr., is a BBVFC member and fire police officer. The membership elected Bill Bowden as Chief Engineer. Bill was born in Salisbury, MD and moved to Selbyville when he was twelve. He joined the BBVFC in 1996 and has served previously as chief engineer for four years. He has also been captain of the Company’s fire police for six years and has been the Company’s top responder for many years. He lives in Ocean View and operates Bowden’s Repair Service, a property maintenance company. One new captain will join returning captains Doug Murray and Mike Suit. Doug Murray is past fire chief and outgoing vice president of the BBVFC and has been a member since 1992. He is a Bethany Beach native and attended Sussex Tech and Wor-Wic College. Doug is a member of the State Fire Prevention Commission, past president of the Sussex County Volunteer Fire Chiefs’ Association, an instructor at the Delaware State Fire School, a nationally certified EMT-B and firefighter II and a part-time firefighter/EMT for the Millville VFC. He is operations manager for S.D. Murray Property Management and lives in Clarksville with his wife, Sarah, a BBVFC member, career Bridgeville VFC firefighter/EMT and part-time Millville firefighter/EMT, and their son. His father, Steve, is a BBVFC life member and his stepmother, Mary Beth, is a member. Tom Moore just finished his second term as fire chief and will be serving as training officer. Tom was born in Lewes, graduated from Cape Henlopen HS and started his fire service career with the Rehoboth Beach VFC, where his father served as assistant chief. He joined the BBVFC in 1996, is a nationally certified EMT-B and firefighter II and is a lieutenant with the Sussex County Technical Rescue Team. He is a career firefighter/EMT and ambulance supervisor with the Rehoboth Beach VFC and works part-time in the same capacity for the Ocean City VFC. Tom lives in Ocean View with his wife, Debbie, and their son. Mike Suit joined the BBVFC in 2002 after serving for six years with the Roxana and Millville VFC’s. He is a 911 operator for Ocean City and a certified emergency medical dispatcher and serves as the company’s fire recorder. He is also the driving force behind many of the Company’s fundraising activities. Mike lives in Fenwick Island with his fiancée, Stacey, and her daughter. One new lieutenant will join four incumbents. Micky Wisseman was born in Milford and joined the BBVFC in 2001 after serving in the Greenwood VFC, where he has been a member since 1989. He is career firefighter/EMT with the Millville VFC and a certified diver, works part time at Sea Colony in property maintenance and heads the BBVFC membership committee. Micky lives in Millville with his two children. Todd Hickman, a native of Reston, VA, joined the BBVFC in 2004 after prior service with companies in Ashburn, VA and Rockville, MD. He is the outgoing assistant treasurer and the incoming vice president. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from High Point University and is a nationally certified firefighter II and EMT-B. Todd is division manager/vice president of NVHomes’ Coastal Division, a director for Junior Achievement of Delaware, a member of the Sussex County Technical Rescue Team and a part-time firefighter/EMT with Millville. He lives in Ocean View with his wife, Candice, and their two sons. James Miller is a Baltimore native and joined the BBVFC in 2005 after serving with the department in Randallstown, MD for three years. He lives in Ocean View and works for S.D. Murray Property Management. Tyler Hickman is a Bethany Beach native and joined the BBVFC in 2000. He lives in Bethany Beach with his wife, Karen, has a degree in construction management from DelTech and works in contractor sales at 84 Lumber. His grandfather, Jack, is past chief engineer and life member, his father, Chad, is past fire chief and life member and his younger brother, Travis, is also a member. Our new lieutenant is Jason Hudson, a member since 2007. He is a graduate of Indian River HS and previously served in the Dagsboro VFC from 2002-2007. Hudson is a 911 operator with Ocean City and lives in Bethany Beach with his fiancée, Robin. July nuptials are planned. Our community is fortunate to have this top notch group of dedicated firefighters serving it. The demands on all of our volunteers are great, but these individuals take on additional responsibilities to insure that you have the best possible emergency services available to you. Please stop by the station anytime and get to know them. I will be writing to you in the near future to talk about what we see on the horizon for 2009. Brian Martin is the BBVFC fire chief. He was born in Philadelphia, attended North Penn High School and Penn State and was a volunteer firefighter for 4 years in the Philadelphia area. His family moved to Sussex County in 1996 and he joined the BBVFC in 1997. Martin is a nationally certified firefighter II and a US Coast Guard captain and was BBVFC’s Firefighter of the Year in 2007. He lives in Ocean View with his wife, Jesika, and their two children and operates Martin Services LLC, a property management and home improvement firm, with his father, Jack, who is also a BBVFC member.