Annual Awards Night - Brian Martin

Monday, December 8, 2008

Two weeks ago, Monte Wisbrock wrote about the top responder awards made at its annual awards dinner held on November 8. This week, I’ll tell you about other members recognized at this important event. Service awards are a big part of every annual dinner. This year, Engineer Steve Gilbert, Anthony Donofrio, Sarah Cunningham and San Juan Felton completed their first year and Asst. Chief Shane Truitt and Travis Hickman reached five years. Dan Lyons achieved the ten year plateau and Wayne Fuller finished his fifteenth year. Past Chief Engineer Chris Loeb attained life member status for twenty years of service. Senator George Bunting and Representative Gerald Hocker were on hand for a special ceremony honoring Secretary, fire police officer and life member Hal Barber, who has served with the BBVFC for an amazing 35 years. In his three and a half decades of service, he has held many offices and served as president for 13 consecutive years at one point. Messrs. Bunting and Hocker read legislative citations crediting Hal’s many contributions to the volunteer fire service and the community at large and noted again his recent induction in the Delaware Volunteer Firemen’s Association Hall of Fame. Service awards were not limited to the men as Ladies’ Auxiliary President Claudia McClenny took the podium to honor the ladies. Recognition went to Kristen Steele for five years, Donna Bunting for ten years and Iris Mooney for fifteen years. The highlight of this segment of the program was Claudia calling past fire chief and president and Asst. Chief Rick Parrett and Asst. Chief Luke Powell up to accept twenty year awards for their mothers, Nancy and Candi, who could not attend. A standing ovation greeted the announcement of 2008’s Willis Matthews Firefighter of the Year. This recognition, named for a legendary member who epitomized service to the fire company and the community, is voted on by the membership and held in the highest regard by all. This year’s award went to Wayne Fuller, noted earlier for fifteen years of service, for his tireless efforts as a fire police officer, director and committee member. Wayne and his spouse, Sue, who is past president of the Ladies’ Auxiliary, represent the best of what volunteerism is about and have set a standard to which all members can strive. The evening wrapped up with a heartfelt thanks to every member. Awards notwithstanding, it takes the dedicated efforts of many people to deliver the quality emergency services our community deserves. Brian Martin is Fire Chief for the BBVFC which joined in 1997 after four years as a volunteer in the Philadelphia area. He is past deputy fire chief, a nationally certified firefighter II and was the 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. He can be reached at [email protected].