Tis the Season to be Thankful - Monte Wisbrock & Brian Martin

Friday, December 26, 2008

The holiday season is a good time to look back on the year gone by and to reflect on the many blessings that have been bestowed on us. Among the things we are thankful for are: • The men and women of our armed forces who place themselves in harm’s way every day to protect our way of life and especially those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. • Our fellow directors-Todd Hickman, Charly Curcio, Hal Barber, Bill Bowden, Eric Myers and Bob Minutoli-and all those who have preceded them. • A first rate command team of Deputy Chief Justin Norman and Assistant Chiefs Eric Myers, Luke Powell, Brian McConlogue, Shane Truitt and Rick Parrett Jr. • A highly talented group of line officers comprising Captains Tom Moore, Mike Suit and Doug Murray and Lieutenants Tyler Hickman, Micky Wisseman, Jason Hudson, Todd Hickman and James Miller. • Bill Bowden’s devoted fire police team of Hal Barber, Rick Parrett, Sr., Bob Maxwell, Wayne Fuller, Charly Curcio, John Barthel, Virginia Davidson and Chuck Young. Bill was also again the company’s top responder. • A fine group of live-ins, duty crew members, ride-alongs and juniors, including Anthony Donofrio, Corey Davis, Chris Magee, Sean Magee, Mike Bruzdzinski, Justin Cassell, Jay Myers, Doug Scott, Dave Hammerer, Steve Gilbert, Hunter Holland and Mac Brooks, who spend many hours at the stations and who greatly enhance the speed of our responses. • New life member Chris Loeb for 20 years of service and Delaware Volunteer Firemen’s Association Hall of Fame inductee and Secretary Hal Barber, who recently completed an astounding 35 years of service. • Wayne Fuller, a consummate volunteer and our 2008 Firefighter of the Year. • State Fire Commissioner and Captain Doug Murray who works zealously on behalf of the volunteer fire service state-wide. • The Ladies’ Auxiliary led by Claudia McClenny which devotes many hours to supporting Company operations and fundraising. • The leaders of the Towns of Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island and South Bethany and the Sea Colony Recreational Association for working with the BBVFC to insure uninterrupted ambulance service to those who live, work and visit here and to the many private homeowners’ associations that are voluntarily contributing to this critical initiative. • Senator George Bunting, Representative Gerald Hocker and State Fire School Director Robert Newnam and his staff for their support in getting the new ambulance service off the ground effective December 31. • Everyone who supports our annual fundraising efforts and those who have supported and are supporting our Major Capital campaign. • The local media for their assistance in communicating with you. • Our wives, children and significant others who sacrifice much so that we can serve the community. • Most importantly, the membership that makes our Company one of the best in the state. We could consume this entire publication thanking every individual for what he or she does for the Company and the community day-in and day-out. Without these dedicated volunteers, most of whom are friends, neighbors and business people that serve you, we would not be able to deliver the best possible emergency services. We have much to be thankful for in our friends and colleagues here and in the community and hope you feel the same. From all of us to all of you, best wishes for a happy, blessed and safe holiday season. Monte Wisbrock is a firefighter with and president of the BBVFC, which he joined in 2001. He is a retired U.S. Army sergeant major and past president of the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce and was the BBVFC’s Firefighter of the Year in 2005. Monte lives in Bethany Beach with his wife, Cheryl, and can be reached at [email protected]. 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, a BBVFC member, 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].