Odenton Volunteer Fire Company Receives Quarterly Award

Paula Meaney of the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company (OVFC) was awarded the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Firefighter/EMT/Administrative Member of the Quarter Award on January 4, 2019.

Paula joined OVFC in July 2017. Since joining, she has gone above and beyond to help our organization with administrative duties and the business of the fire company. She serves on the Membership Committee where she works on maintaining the membership database and uploading certifications, very time-consuming tasks. She also helps to staff the membership table at public events where people can inquire about becoming OVFC members. As a member of the Administrative Services Committee, she has participated in most of our fundraising activities, such as assisting with the basket raffle for our Bull and Oyster Roasts and selling drinks at our Food Truck Thursdays. She was part of a subcommittee that investigated the bingo nights at other fire companies to see if bingo would be a viable fundraising option for Odenton.

Paula has been instrumental in our public education program by hosting children’s birthday parties at the fire station and giving guests tours of the station on Odenton Day. She is a great ambassador at these public events. Whenever there is a task to be done, Paula is the first to volunteer. For example, she jumped in to help the Maps Committee with posting new maps in the apparatus notebooks and assisting with mailing out the invitation letters to our Memorial Day parade. She and her husband cook dinner for the Wednesday night duty crew and for the crews on certain holidays. Paula is now taking the Emergency Medical Technician – Basic course so that she can further help the fire company as an operational responder.

Paula is more than just a good member; she is a good person. For example, she assisted in planning and setting up a wake for a member’s mother and helped a fellow member whose basement flooded. In her short time with the company, Paula has made it her goal to introduce herself and get to know each and every member of the fire company. Whether it is late at night or early in the morning, Paula is there to lend a hand with a smile on her face. She brightens any room when she enters. She builds positive relationships with others and people know that they can depend on her. She clearly shows her commitment to OVFC and her fellow members.