On
February 20th, 2010 the Association held their 104nd Anniversary and Awards Banquet.
The following awards were presented at that time.
THEODORE R. EPRIGHT MEMORIAL VALOR AWARD
This Award is given for service rendered above and beyond the call of duty
at risk to life at a fire or related incident.
The 2009 recipients are as a unit citation, members of the Middletown Fire Company and the South Media Fire Company.
On December 26th, 2009the Middletown Fire Company Station 50 as well as South Media Fire Company Station 51 were dispatched to the area of Knowlton Road and Fox Road. The call being one we all dread: vehicle accident with entrapment - into the fast moving Ridley Creek. This call could be a nightmare if not for the fast thinking and actions of the first due crews.
Station 50 firefighters Tom Starrs, Rob Tull, and Norm Shropshire, with the support of their crews tied off, and donned personal flotation devices, They then entered the water to secure the two victims without regard to personal safety. Conditions were rapidly deteriorating and the water was frigid. The rescuers secured the victims to fixed objects before being swept off their subjects and pulled back to shore.
Simultaneously members from Station 51 lead by Deputy Ed Kline, with firefighters Earle Grant, Eric Grant, Tim Mason, Matt Mason and Chief Kokonos arrived downstream to the same call. They tied off and went in the water for a victim clinging to a limb that was hardly visible in the water.
For these actions, these firefighters are being given, as a group, the Theodore E. Epright Memorail Valor Award as a Unit Citation.
Their actions could not be recognized if not for a team effort other assisting in this life saving effort were members of the Media Fire Company, Garden City Fire Company, Lenni Heights Fire company, Lima Fire Company, Brookhaven Fire Company, Parkside Fire Company and Crozer Chester Medical Center Medics.
This award is name after the late Pio Zappasodi, a long
time member of the Delaware County Firemen's Association who represented
the 8th District on the Executive Board. This award is presented yearly
by former Congressman Weldon, to a person who has helped the Fire Service in
Delaware County
The 2009 recipient is
Fred Howell, Sr. Collingdale Fire Company # 1
Fred Howell, Sr. service started with some tough years as a World War II Vet in North Africa. At wars end he returned home to Collingdale where his real service started. In 1947 he joined Collingdale Fire Company # 1 where he has served not on the sidelines but on the front lines for more than sixty years. Holding almost every post in the fire service from trustee to committee chair from chief to friend and advisor. Even today he is not on the sidelines. Trustee, 4th District Director, and when others need a ride to the event he stops off and picks them up. For sixty-three years of service not only to Collindale Fire Company # 1 but to the fire service, We, The Board of Director of the Delaware County Firemen's Association, recognize Fred Howell, Sr. with the Pete Zappasodi Congressional Fire Service Award.
The Business of the Year Award is presented annually to a
business or corporation, in Delaware County that has contributed to the
benefit, welfare or improvement of the Fire Service in an outstanding
manner.
The 2009 recipient is WAWA Inc.
The WAWA Inc. has always been there for the fire service in Delaware County.
The Andrew Hogan Memorial Fire
Safety Education Award, has been established to recognize an
organization or an individual, who has developed or contributed to a
new or extraordinary program to teach Fire Safety Education to the
general public in the County of Delaware.
The 2009 recipient is the Glenolden Fire Company # 1 & Robert Murray
For the past 20 years this unit has been one of the county's most active Fire Prevention Units; with visits to schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Churches and other social organizations. This unit has been constantly recognized on both the local, county, and state level for its forward thinking by developing all sorts of programs for computers, slide shows, home town visits, informative fliers and always age related. This program has but one person to point to as its leader known to most as "Fireman Bob"; others know him a Robert Murray. His work had made the fire companies work a lot easier reminding all that fire prevention starts before the fire. For the work of the whole team and it's leader, Robert Murray, the association awards the Andrew Hogan Memorial Fire Safety Education Award to Glenolden Fire Company # 1
Christopher N. Kangas Memorial
Junior Firefighter Award
The Christopher N.
Kangas Memorial Junior Firefighter of The Year Award is to recognize an outstanding
junior firefighter who is a member of a Fire Company or a Department in
Delaware County.
The 2009 recipients are from Middletown Fire Company, Sarah Antonelli and from Brookline Fire Company, Kenneth Kelley.
Sarah is a senior at Penncrest High School carrying a 4.0 grade point average. She had been a member of the cadet program with Middletown Fire Company since she was 14. She has completed numerous fire school courses including her Firefighter 1 class with exception of her interior burn which she will do when she turns 18. Sarah has been in the top 25 responders in her department since she joined. She is an active organizer of the department's involvment in both the Relay for Life and the Walk for Hope, where firefighters complete a course in full bunker gear with SCBA. Submitted by, Ric Tull; Chief Middletown Fire Company.
Ken is a natural leader in and out of the classroom. He is always ready to help a fellow student with anything fire fighter related or otherwise, and always with a smile. His sense of humor makes my job as an instructor sometimes challenging but always pleasant. He is most respectful to me and my staff as well as his peers. Ken is a member of Brookline Fire Company. His grades with both Upper Darby High School and my program remain a constant A or B. Ken is one of those students that makes my life asa a teacher not only rewarding, but worthwhile. Submitted by, Paul J. Tresca: Emergency and Protective Services Program, Delaware County Technical School.
The Harry Maitland
Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a member of the Delaware
County
Firemen's Association who has shown life long devotion, support, and
commitment to the Fire Service
of Delaware County in an outstanding manner. Any member in good standing
of the Association is eligible to be nominated by any individual member
or organization member in good standing for this award.
The 2009 recipient is
Chief John Lloyd, Emeritus
With the recommendation of Aston Beechwood Volunteer Fire Company, its members, and the Board of Directors, The Delaware County Firemen's Association would like to recognize for his lifelong service to the fire service.
Chief Lloyd became a life member of the company by unanimous vote in 2007. He has served in many departmental and corporate offices. He stepped in last year, when the department suffered the sudden loss of Chief Rocky Eusden, to take the reins of the department when it needed it the most. Over the years he has been active with the association and is looking forward to working on several projects now on a state level.
John's devotion to the fire service in Delaware County is exemplary of the type of leadership we at Aston Beechwood have been lucky to have and are willing to share with the rest of the county.
