Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company and Simsbury Fire District Awards

Several Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company members and a local business received awards this year. Main station Captain Kristin Kelley received the Chief's Award given by Chief James Baldis. The award goes to a member in recognition of accomplishments which exemplify dedication, initiative and responsibility in attaining a goal beneficial to the Simsbury Fire District, the Fire Company, its members and the community.

Starting as a junior firefighter for two years, Kelley, a third-generation firefighter, has now been a member for over 20 years. “She has been involved in many activities over the years and has used the experiences of the past to hold onto traditions and to maintain a commitment to the future,” said Baldis. She has served on numerous committees and participated in various fundraising efforts. Kelley has worked on recruitment programs, including open houses, new signs and a statewide recruitment event. She has used social media to communicate with the public and past and present members of the Fire Company.

Engineer Terek Perdue, Main station, received the Carl Banks Engineer's Award for his service as Engineer on S-17, the Fire Company’s support vehicle for SCBA bottles, communications, lighting and command for larger events. Perdue has been a Fire Company member for five years. The award was presented by Baldis and Kelley.

To ensure that the apparatus is ready to respond to a fire or emergency, the engineer is responsible for a weekly inspection of the apparatus and for keeping the equipment ready for immediate use. Engineers check the fire apparatus and all the equipment on it, such as breathing apparatus.

The award is named in honor of Assistant Chief Carl Banks who was the chief mechanic for the Simsbury apparatus through the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s. He helped maintain, repair and even build fire trucks. The Carl Banks award is given annually to an engineer for outstanding performance.

Also recognized was Dan Flanagan, the Fire District’s master mechanic who oversees all the fire apparatus. Flanagan performs preventative maintenance and repairs; oversees testing and inspections; and supports the installation of equipment.

The Lea Hutchinson Service Award for initiative and capability in the fire service went to Firefighter Victoria Williams of Bushy Hill station. Williams joined in 2017 and “during her time here, she has been very dedicated to the Company and her training, which was quickly noticed by her station officers,” according to Baldis. Williams is a state-certified Firefighter I, has her driver’s license for fire apparatus, is working on qualifying on the apparatus at her station, and is in EMT-B class presently.

Lea Hutchinson was the first chief of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company, serving in that capacity for over 30 years.

The inaugural Tom Post Junior Firefighter Award went to Grace Cummings, West Simsbury station. The award recognizes a junior member for outstanding dedication, service and growth. The junior firefighter program is for Simsbury residents 15 to 18 years old. At 18 they are eligible to become regular firefighters in the Fire Company.

Tom Post saw the value of getting teens in the community interested in the fire service. Rules for junior firefighters include a curfew to insure they are not out too late at scenes, good grades and parental permission. Many of these juniors go on to be regular firefighters in Simsbury or have made their career in the emergency services in other departments. Post was instrumental in the establishment and success of the Fire Company’s junior firefighter program.

A special District award, the Simsbury Fire District Community Service Award, went to Rosedale Farms & Vineyards. The award recognizes when someone or some business clearly goes over and above in their community involvement to the Fire District. Deputy Chief Kevin Kowalski approached Rosedale’s owners. “They created a wine for the 75th anniversary, named it ‘The Pride of Simsbury’ and donated a portion of the profits back to us,” said Fire District President Gary Wilcox as he presented the award to Charlie Stephenson, Head Winemaker, and Morgan Wilson, Assistant Winemaker, Vineyard Manager and Marketing Director.