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Fire department honors its own
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com
When Plano firefighters talk about their co-workers, they speak of them as if they were part of one big extended family. On Wednesday night, some of these family members were recognized at the department's annual award ceremony.
Awards recognized individual accomplishments, as well as a unit award which went to firefighters from Fire Station 12 for saving a person's life. Twenty-three members of the department were also recognized for serving 25 or 30 years with the department.
"You wish you could recognize all 320 of them because they are all outstanding," said Chief Hugo Esparza. "It is a very special night because these individuals were nominated by their peers. This is the cream of the crop. I have always been very proud of our firefighters, but to be able to recognize these individuals is a very special moment."
"It is definitely a nice award to get," Treadway said after the ceremony. "It is nice to know that the guys you work with day in and day out think that highly of you."
When a firefighter receives the department's highest annual award so early in their career, one could expect that they had been planning to pursue a career in firefighting for their entire life. That was not exactly the case with Treadway, who admits that he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life when he entered college.
"I didn't know I wanted to be a firefighter until I was 19 years old," he said. "At that time, all I knew about firefighting was that fire engines were red. I was just along for the ride, but I definitely picked the right career. It is something different every day. It is not something where you go into the office and sit at a desk all day. The guys that you work with are like my brothers."
One of the firefighters who hopes to follow in Treadway's footsteps as firefighter of the year is Ty Killingsworth, a 26-year-old Farmersville native who received the department's Rookie of the Year award. In the eight months he has been a firefighter, Killingsworth said his fellow firefighters have shown what is expected of firefighters in the Plano FD.
"Coming into the service I didn't know what to expect since I didn't have any family who were firefighters," Killingsworth said. "The guys have shown me how to act and what is right and what is wrong. The camaraderie with the guys is better than I expected. It is basically like being on a high school football team again. It is always fun at work and you are never bored."
Other awards included Paramedic of the Year, which was won by Joel Hall. Hall said while the award is nice, knowing that he is helping the people of Plano is all the reward he needs.
"You get to meet and work with so many great people," he said. "You get to help them. Most of the time when they call you they are going through one of their worst times, and you get to help them fix that problem, whatever it may be."
While most people think of firefighters when they think of the fire department, Capt. Peggy Harrell said there are a handful of civilian employees who assist in the day-to-day operation of the department, as well. One of these, Rev. Robert Matthews of the Plano Bible Chapel, was awarded the department's Civilian of the Year award. Matthews has served as one of the department's chaplains for the past 23 years.
The past year has been a trying one for all members of the department, including the chaplains, Matthews said. Fire Rescue Specialist Brody Fleming, 24, died of a stroke in March after having been with the department for less than a year. When Fleming was dying, Matthews said chaplains met with Fleming's family to try and comfort them, and also served as counselors for any firefighters who needed to talk about the death of one of their "brothers."
"As chaplains, our first responsibility is to the members of the fire department and their families," said Matthews, who has also served as a chaplain with the Plano Police Department for 24 years. "Over the years I have done weddings and funerals, as well as provided counseling when needed."
Other awards handed out included Fire Officer of the Year, Capt. Joel Harper; Emergency Medical Technician of the Year, Michael Tartaro; Fire Instructor of the Year, Lt. Kade Wallace; and the Distinguished Unit Award, handed out to the members of Engine 12 (C Shift) Don Gladney, Beau Simpson, Manny Duarte and Craig Westwood; and Medic 12 (C Shift) Broox Nevil and Kyle Moore.
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