OHIO HEROES:

10 FIREFIGHTERS AND 4 PRIVATE CITIZENS HONORED

State Fire Marshal Robert R. Rielage announced today that 10 firefighters and 4 civilians will be honored as heroes this Thursday, September 23, 1999 at 8 p.m. at the Ohio Fire Academy, 8895 East Main Street, Reynoldsburg. 

Eight firefighters will receive Ohio’s Fire Service Valor Award medals on Thursday as they are inducted into the Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame.  Four civilians will receive the Ohio Fire Service Citizens Award for Heroism.  Additionally, two firefighters whose remarkable careers totaled seventy-six years in the fire service will be honored with the Fire Service’s Distinguished Service Award. 

Gary Suhadolnik, Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce, along with Marshal Rielage and Patrick Guanciale, Chairman of the State Fire Commission, will present the awards following a 7 p.m. dinner held at the headquarters of the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal. Mr. Ken Farmer, Director of Fire Training for the State of North Carolina and an instructor at the National Fire Academy, will provide the keynote address.

“We welcome the opportunity to honor these courageous firefighters and private citizens,” said Director Suhadolnik.  “By the immeasurable selflessness and heroism that each of these individuals exhibited, they have earned the highest awards bestowed by Ohio’s fire service community.  Tonight, we recognize and officially commend them for their bravery.”

Those to be honored include:

Distinguished Service Award

                                                Richard M. Donley              Hudson

                                                Richard Heagin                   St. Clairsville

(more)

Citizens Award for Heroism

                                              Donnie Crom                        Duncan Falls

                                              Lonnie Crom                         Blue Rock

                                              James Dorsett                        Willard

                                              Darold Kirby Sutphin         Dillonvale

Fire Service Valor Award

Joseph J. Arnold                 Cincinnati                              Robert VonHoene      Cincinnati

William Lustenberger       Cincinnati                              Jerome Smith              Columbus    

Dale Schwettman                Cincinnati                              James E. Spurgeon     Springfield   

Dennis Schwettman           Cincinnati                              Jeffrey L. Cook           Toledo                                  

Marshal Rielage, a veteran firefighter with 27 years of service, noted that the Hall of Fame was initiated 19 years ago to honor all men and women of the state’s fire fighting service. “The firefighters we are honoring epitomize the high standard that Ohio’s fire service sets for itself,” said Rielage. “Ohio firefighters risk their lives on a daily basis, whether on or off-duty, to protect their families, their neighbors, their communities and their fellow Ohioans.”

Since it was created in 1980, 146 firefighters have been inducted into the Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame.  Since the citizen's award was created in 1985, 40 private citizens have been recognized for their heroism.

Ohio’s Distinguished Fire Service Award is conferred by the Governor every year upon an Ohioan whose completed career serves as a milestone to the fire service. The honoree’s likeness is engraved on a plaque and placed in the Hall of Fame’s Gallery. The inductee receives the Medal of Distinguished Fire Service and a citation signed by the Governor.

The Ohio Fire Service Citizens Award for Heroism was created by the State Fire Commis­sion in 1985. This award is conferred by the Governor upon citizens of Ohio who at risk of their own lives, perform a lifesaving act in a fire or emergency situation.

Ohio’s Fire Service Valor Award is conferred by the Governor upon Ohioans who, while in the line of duty and at great personal risk, saved or attempted to save the life or lives of persons trapped by fire or endangered by other life-threatening emergencies. Nominees must have been career or volunteer firefighters in the State of Ohio. They are nominated by the chief fire officials of their respective communities.  Recipients are presented medals and their names are inscribed in the Valor Award book, located on a pedestal in the lobby of the Ohio Fire Academy.

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