Firefighters present top award to Penn Yan

BENTON—Yates County Firefighter of the Year Award was presented to a group of individuals rather than one person.

The Penn Yan Fire Department was honored as Firefighter of the Year during the annual Yates County Emergency Responders program at the Benton firehouse Friday, March 25.
Tracey Miller presented the award to Penn Yan Fire Chief Rick Retorick. Miller said the award was presented to the entire Penn Yan Fire Department for their quick work at a house fire in the village Nov. 13, 2010. Miller said seven people who were on the roof when firefighters arrived were rescued. Entrances and exits were limited to the back of the house. The fire was extinguished quickly. Retorick said he accepted the award on behalf of the whole fire department. Long time Penn Yan Fire Department member and instructor John Woods was also honored.
Several awards were presented during the program. Scott Voak of the Bellona Fire department had the top fire training hours; 155. Joy Perry of the Dundee Emergency Squad received an award for the top training hours in Emergency Medical Service (EMS); 191.
Top for Fire and Ambulance Service was Alex Kuehne at 152 hours. Kuehne is a member of Penn Yan Area volunteer Ambulance Corps and Penn Yan fire Department. Ray Miller received an award from the EMS Advisory Committee for his contributions. The Roger Ribble Senior Award was presented to John Murphy of the Benton Fire Department.
Glen Miller was named H. Robert Hathaway Officer of the Year.
The dining room at Benton firehouse was filled with many of the 295 individuals who participated in Yates County and State Fire and EMS Field Training programs in 2010. The 699 certificates awarded represented 11,626 hours of training. During the program, the major accomplishments since last year were reviewed. They included, in part, a thermal imaging camera in each fire department and promotion and scheduling training courses for the County’s Emergency Responders. There is a full training schedule this year.