Sept. 30… Join Chief Jim Grady and Chief Dan Eggleston on October 20 for another high-quality VCOS Webinar from the Officer Development Series titled “Mentoring with Confidence.” Space is limited so register for your spot now! For details on this webinar, access the VCOS Webinar page.
Sept. 30… In a letter addressed to the Honorable Joseph Lieberman and the Honorable Susan Collins, committee chair and ranking member respectively of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the members of the VCOS Board of Directors have formally endorsed Chief Ernest Mitchell to become the next United States Fire Administrator. The board encourages all VCOS members to send your own letters in support of Chief Mitchell’s nomination; he is superbly qualified for this position.
The three officers of the VCOS Board of Directors have been selected by the members of the board, as follows: Chief Timothy S. Wall as Chair, Chief David B. Fulmer as Vice-Chair, and Chief Joseph E. Florentino as Secretary/Treasurer. All terms of office run through August 2012. Congratulations to these officers!
Sept 12… Congratulations to Chief Richard T. Haase, who was selected by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Board of Directors to serve as the representative for volunteer departments on the Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC). Chief Haase has replaced Chief Tim Holman, who completed his term of office. Chief Haase is the Emergency Response/Security Team Leader and Fire Chief for the ConocoPhillips Wood River Refinery in Roxana, IL. Chief Haase also served as the Volunteer Chief for the Staunton Fire Protection District, Staunton, IL since 1996 and has been a member of the department since 1983. (Read CPSE Press Release)
President Al Gillespie administering the oath of office to (from left to right): Chief Dave Fulmer, Chief Dan Eggleston, Chief Jim Wilson
Aug 25… Congratulations to Chief David B. Fulmer, CFO, of the West Licking (OH) Joint Fire District, Chief Dan Eggleston, EFO, of the Albemarle (VA) County Department of Fire Rescue, and Chief Jim L. Wilson, EFO, of the Mariposa (CA) County Fire Department, all of whom were sworn in as VCOS board members for 3-year terms through 2014 at the VCOS Section Meeting at Fire-Rescue International on August 24 by President Al Gillespie. (Photo by Chuck Fazio Media)
Aug 25… Congratulations to Fire Chief Sheri R. Bemis, CFO, of Oxford (MA) Fire-EMS for her selection as the winner of the 2011 VCOS/TargetSafety Training Officer Recognition Award. Chief Bemis was selected for her strong commitment to departmental training. The award was presented on August 25, 2011 at the VCOS annual meeting at Fire-Rescue International by Mr. Jon Kostyzak, TargetSafety’s Director of Sales. (photo by Chuck Fazio Media)
Chief Dan Eggleston and Chief Joe Florentino, VCOS board members, present the scholarship check to Battalion Chief Robert Talburt at the VCOS Section Meeting
Aug 25… Fire Chief Dennis Covey of Malabar (FL) Fire Rescue and Battalion Chief Robert Talburt of the Logan-Rogersville (MO) Fire Protection District were the winners of the VCOS FRI $1500 scholarships on the basis of their write-ups for how their education at Fire-Rescue International would enhance their professional development and permit them to bring the education back for the betterment of their departments.
Chief Covey was not able to attend FRI due to the threat that Hurricane Irene posed to his community; he will receive his check at Symposium in the Sun. Congratulations to Chief Talburt and Chief Covey!
July 9… It’s hard to wrap your head around the far-reaching devastation inflicted on land, lives and livelihoods caused by this year’s wildfires and drought. Since January, more than 11,000 blazes fueled by a drought and tinderbox conditions all across Texas have burned more than 3 million acres of Lone star land and destroyed more than 1,300 structures.
But it’s the men and women of Texas’ volunteer fire departments who earned heroes’ recognition for their valiant efforts on the front lines of these blazes. And these volunteers are also people and organizations that desperately — and quite deservingly — now need our help. For details on how you can help, please read the full article and donate through the special website which has been set up.
June 30… Better Angels: The Firefighters of 9/11 is a display of 343 individual oil paintings of the New York City firefighters who died on 9/11. Each firefighter’s portrait is painted intimately onto a small burned block of wood. There is a compelling personality in each face that leads the viewer to imagine the individuals – the lives they lived, the people they loved – while the sheer volume of faces measures the enormity of the tragedy. Assembled, this large multi-part work is 4’ high by 21’ long.
The artist, Dawn Siebel, spent more than 3000 hours over a period of six years to create the paintings. She and the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation are now bringing this awe-inspiring memorial to many venues on the east coast, including Fire-Rescue International in Atlanta in August and the VCOS Symposium in the Sun in Clearwater Beach in November. Make sure you see it at one of these or several other venues.
June 21… Your section has developed a new educational course to assist departments which are changing status, either from an all-volunteer to a combination department or from a combination department to a volunteer. The course can be administered as a 3-hour course with one instructor or a 6-hour course with two instructors. Requesting agencies are asked to pick up the travel expenses, including mileage or possibly airfare, meals and hotel rooms, if necessary, for the instructors. VCOS will attempt to assign local instructors, but that may not always be possible.
To request a course, send an email to the Program Manager Chief Ron Cheves, Ret. or call him at 704-557-5781.
