The Benton Firehouse was full of dedicated volunteers from all around Yates County on Friday, March 26, when Yates County Fire Coordinator Glen Miller was named the 2009 Fireman of the Year.
Miller, who will be retiring from his position later this year after more than 30 years serving the county, presented several other awards, and recognized over 300 emergency services students in the county for completing 11,558 hours of training last year.
Other major awards presented at the annual celebration included:
• H. Robert Hathaway Officer of the Year Award: Bob Bell of Benton.
• Roger Ribble Sr. Award: Douglas Miller of Dundee. Miller’s father, Ray Miller Jr., was the first fire fighter to receive this award.
• EMS Leadership Award: Tom and Bonnie Mahaney of Middlesex. The Mahaneys were instrumental in the rescue of Dr. Bradford Berk, the CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center, who knew he had sustained a serious spinal cord injury when he fell from his bicycle last spring. EMS Coordinator Chris Warriner read a letter from Berk, who said the Mahaney’s decisions and skills allowed him to get to the University of Rochester Medical Center quickly, where he received the care he needed.
• EMS Provider Award: Jared Palmer of the Branchport/Keuka Park Fire Department.
Training certificates were presented to each of the fire chiefs for the training completed by their departments.The Penn Yan Fire Department received the most certificates, 118, and the most number of students, 42. The Dundee Fire Department completed the most training hours with 1587.
Glen Sensenig of the Dundee Fire Department was recognized for completing the most hours of fire training with 233. Richard Diamond Jr. was recognized for completing the most number of EMS training hours.
County leaders who attended the banquet, offered messages of gratitude.
“You people are the heart of Yates County,” said County Legislative Chairman Taylor Fitch, adding, “You deserve all the thanks you get.”
“Thank you for keeping us safe and for your hours and hours of training....Thank you for wanting to improve your knowledge and carrying on to seek your goals,” said Legislator Donna Alexander, who is chair of the Public Safety Committee.
Yates County Administrator Sarah Purdy talked about the task force working on what to do when Glen Miller retires. “I don’t need to tell you they are shoes that will be very tough to fill,” she said.
