Smithville Volunteer firefighter Danny Poss received the “Highest Attendance Award” Saturday night during an appreciation dinner for city firefighters at the Smithville First United Methodist Christian Fellowship Center.
The award was presented to Poss by Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker.
Poss attended the most incidents, training, and activities during 2012. A total of 124 out of 148 calls. Deputy Chief Hoyte Hale was next having attended 114 calls and Lieutenant John Poss attended 105 calls.
Meanwhile city firefighters were also presented pins for years of service including the following:
Cody Jenkins- 1 year
Kevin Adcock- 2 years
Cory Killian- 2 years
Ronald Whitaker- 4 years
Glen Lattimore- 5 years (absent)
Stephanie Wright- 7 years
James R. Hunt- 8 years
Gary Johnson-8 years
Wallace Caldwell- 9 years
Charles Young-14 years (absent)
William Brown- 15 years (absent)
Greg Bess (Photographer- 18 years (absent)
Anthony Wright (Lieutenant)- 21 years
John Poss (Lieutenant)- 22 years
Jeff Wright (Captain)- 27 years
Hoyte Hale (Deputy Chief)- 28 years
Donnie Cantrell (Lieutenant)- 33 years
Danny Poss (Lieutenant)- 33 years
Charles Parker (Chief)- 33 years.
In addition to the firefighters and their spouses, the event was attended by Mayor Jimmy Poss and Aldermen Danny Washer, Jason Judd Murphy, Tim Stribling, and Shawn Jacobs and members of their families. City officials expressed appreciation to the firefighters for the work they do and their commitment to helping improve the operation of the fire department to keep residents safer.
“We do appreciate you and commend you for everything that you do,” said Mayor Poss. “The city is proud of you. I am proud of you. You go through a lot of danger. The ladder truck is a good help aid for you. We hope we won’t ever need it but its there if we do need it and it’s paid for which is a good thing. Keep the good work going,” said Mayor Poss.
“This is certainly just a very small way of the city showing its appreciation for all that you do,” said Alderman Jacobs, who is also Police and Fire Commissioner. “It’s a tremendous amount of work that you all do behind the scenes not to mention when the alarm sounds and you actually have to respond to fires. Its all very appreciated. I wish we could pay you what you’re worth. We’ve made some progress this year. We were able to get the ladder truck. We hope to keep the progress going,” he said.
Alderman Stribling also thanked the firefighters for their hard work and dedication to the city.
“We appreciate you helping us out this past year,” said Chief Parker. “We still have plans. We look to have continued support I hope with the backing of the mayor and aldermen as we try to proceed forward with the fire department. We had a pretty good year in 2012 with the purchase of the ladder truck. That is something that we have been actively pursuing for the last four years ever since the completion of the fire hall. Its good to have that behind us. We’ve also added one full time personnel. That gives us a starting point to keep moving forward from there. For the new aldermen who have not been around very long, we don’t like sitting still. When you give us an inch we want to take twelve so be ready we’re still wanting to grow and proceed forward and we hope to get your blessing as we do that,” said Chief Parker.
(Bottom Photo: seated left to right: Cody Jenkins, Kevin Adcock, Cory Killian, Ronald Whitaker, Stephanie Wright, James R. Hunt, Gary Johnson, and Wallace Caldwell) Standing left to right: Anthony Wright, John Poss, Jeff Wright, Hoyte Hale, Donnie Cantrell, Danny Poss, and Charles Parker)
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