Chesapeake Beach, MD – The North Beach Volunteer Fire Department (Company 1) held its annual awards banquet and installation of officers Saturday, Feb. 28 at its hall in Chesapeake Beach.
The honorary emcee for the event was Twin Beach native George W. Owings III, who was recently reappointed secretary for the Maryland Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Local elected officials who addressed the gathering included Calvert County Commissioners’ President Steve Weems, who presented Company 1 officials with a plaque, Delegate Mark Fisher and Maryland Senate President Mike Miller. Both Fisher and Miller assured the volunteers that legislation to enhance the state’s Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) was finding favor in Annapolis during the 2015 session of the Maryland General Assembly.
“It’s amazing what gets done by so many people,” said North Beach Town Councilman Mike Benton, who presented Company 1 officials with a $6,000 check from the municipality.
Representatives from the Town of Chesapeake Beach—Mayor Bruce Wahl, Town Councilman Bob Carpenter and special events coordinator Connie O’Dell—had a ceremonial check in the amount of $25,000 to present to the local company. Owings also exhorted the crowd to serenade O’Dell’s husband Bucky, a lifetime fire company member, with “Happy Birthday.” After singing the audience stood up and applauded.
The Company 1 Auxiliary also had money to donate as the group presented current Company President Jeff Idol and the new chief of operations, Dave Devere, with a check for $12,000.
Among the ranks of Company 1, those singled out for honors included Susan Newton, who won the President’s Award and the Larry Cox Award. Pat Osburn was saluted for being the top emergency medical services (EMS) responder in 2014, participating in 1,084 calls, or 75 percent of the company’s total EMS calls for the year.
Eric Brumley was named Firefighter of the Year for 2014. The top fire responder for that year was Garrett Hagan, who participated in 295 calls.
Volunteer Billy Gee received life membership.
Three crews who responded to life-saving calls were also recognized. They were the members responding to a drug overdose last April, an incident in May where a worker was shocked by an electrical line and nearly strangled by his harness and a September call for someone attempting suicide who had gone into cardiac arrest. Additionally, the fire department recognized the deputies who aided in the response to the May incident.
Idol assured the audience that all the funds amassed from special events and allocated by local and state government have been put to good use with the purchase of life-saving equipment. Company 1 lost the service of its boat last year and is currently raising funds to purchase a new one.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
