Coming back wasn't easy, he said. Branding presented the flag to Mastandrea, commemorating his 21 years of service as village fire chief. The district was known for firing people regularly and often, he said.The traumas of his job early on almost deterred him from the field, he said. Aquascape's Annual Fish and Plants Spring Sale! It has taken some time for me to come to this decision and its hard for me to make it. A photograph of a printed image of Menlo Park Fire Protection District Chief Harold Schapelhouman in his early days at the fire department, taken during his retirement party at Station 1 in Menlo Park on June 28, 2021. Hostage situations. Copyright 2023 City of Covington, Kentucky | Web Design & Development by. Most people don't want to admit this, but wardrobe management is not necessarily in our DNA. Last call. The only other careers that parallel that of the fire service that strong sense of camaraderie, daily exposures to the unknown, and retirement at an early age are found in law enforcement and the military. Harold responded to that Calling as a young man 40 years ago and he has never either looked back or failed to live up to the principles of that Calling. Beyond his writing for FireRescue1.com and FireChief.com, Avsec authors the blog Talking "Shop" 4 Fire & EMSand has published his first book, "Successful Transformational Change in a Fire and EMS Department: How a Focused Team Created a Revenue Recovery Program in Six MonthsFrom Scratch.Connect with Avsec on LinkedIn orvia email. And, in the 1980s, there were many difficult calls due to the heroin epidemic and high crime rates, yielding a grim and repeating rhythm of "shooting, stabbing, assault, overdose," Schapelhouman said. It is an honorable and Everybody here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, said Mastandrea. Schapelhouman was introduced later that night at the Oasis (a beloved Menlo Park watering hole that shuttered in 2018), and the two stayed in touch while she attended college in Santa Barbara. He played a pivotal role in creating Menlo Park's urban search and rescue team, and was called upon to respond to some of the worst national and international disasters of the past decades.He and his team responded to the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995, 9/11 in New York in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, among other disasters.Schapelhouman's daughter, now 21, was born just months after he returned from a trip abroad to provide search and rescue aid during the Chi Chi earthquake in Taiwan in 1999.Over time, Schapelhouman began to work more in the realm of fire prevention and advocacy. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. My goal and the mission is that our job is to leave things in a better place than we started, and we are in a much better place, giving great service to our residents, Mastandrea said. I leave the fire service going to a different chapter. Build Here are a few quotes about fire along with bravery quotes to inspire you. Farewell Type of Retirement Speech 2. Mobile site. But I also look forward to embracing new challenges and experiences on my new journey ahead. Retirement Speech for An Employee Example: Good afternoon, everyone. The term divorce is an apt description, despite it being an amiable one. It had five grueling challenges, and to be considered for the district, each candidate had to complete all five. Its been an honor to serve as a fire chief with all of you.. As firefighters, we know the value of conducting pre-plans for target hazards in our district and there's great value in applying that strategy to your second career. He had been passed over in his first effort to join the Los Altos firefighting staff and had recommitted himself to his college coursework. I dont know who to thank and who to start with. Mountain View Voice Promptly at 4 p.m., the sound of bagpipes filled the air around Fire Station No. Though my time has come to an end, lets not forget why we are here tonight: remembering and celebrating all of you for all that you do in service to this community. "Sometimes people don't say thanks or are not nice, or are going through their own stuff you may not know about we have to be professional to them. (Lets ask her again at day 100!) At one point, he said, he and his wife had a serious conversation. At last weeks Board of Commissioners Legislative meeting on August 8, 2017, Covington Fire Department Captain Dan Frederick, Battalion Chief Seth Poston, Assistant Chief Chris Black, and Engineer Nick Nazzarine announced their retirement after 120 years of combined service, effective August 31, 2017. When you return to your former second home, you'll likely feel that you only have visitation rights, especially when you start seeing all those new faces. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Redwood City Pulse, 2023 Palo Alto Online If they have not, then they retire at whatever age past 57 when they reach that 20-year market. TheSixFifty.com "Somebody has to go out and do the patient care.". 781-428-3299. With every challenge you face, there will always be someone new at your side willing to help you move mountains if you need it. Things were going well with his search and rescue work and legislative advocacy when he was tapped to become the next fire chief. He brought in attorneys to push for his return to the chief position, and took steps to ensure he could still do the job well, like finding specialists to evaluate him and securing the right adaptive equipment. As we progress through the ranks, our circle of friends and colleagues shrinks. Don't miss out on the discussion! Webof New York (ACNY), the Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL), and the rules of the Fire Department Pension Fund, the applicable laws will govern. With the extremely risky work Schapelhouman took on, they worried about how a family would fit into the picture. "Can you do that?" He was cognizant that he only had a few years left until he could be fully vested in the district's pension system and didn't want to get fired or become a "casualty" of the district's board.He finally took on the role March 31, 2006, after he was told that if he didn't, the next chief would come from outside of the district. ""It's a job where you can find the better part of yourself, if you're looking," he said. I was able to do that. Schapelhouman said that he said no to the offer twice because he loved the work he was doing so much, traveling and pushing for policies and innovations that would help firefighters work more safely and effectively.There had been turnover in the chief position and in the previous 21 years, nobody from within the department had been selected as chief, he said. 'It's a job where you can find the better part of yourself, if you're looking.'. Through it all, he worked at mastering the art of staying professional through the trauma by seeking to do justice to the grand calling of firefighting, many people's last line of defense in the face of grave danger. I will look back at my time in the fire service and smile knowing that my service was meaningful. "If you can't do that with compassion and forgiveness in your heart and the ability to move past people who aren't nice to you, then this isn't the job for you. "We almost died that night," he recalled.But there were victories too. These fire fighters retirement speeches convey light-hearted and warm retirement wishes and end with appropriate toasts. Getting into the fire service was easy compared to what it was like to leave it. Shortly after, I was hired, then in the door came, Nick, Chris, and Seth. Electronics Recycling Event for Earth Day, Volo Museum Titanic tribute opens April 14. - Andrew Bernstein. As such, it often requires giving a retirement speech to acknowledge the occasion and those with whom youve worked for many years. Im proud of the accomplishments and improvements weve made in the department and I know Im leaving it in great condition., Client News, Fire News ceremony, Chief Kevin Partridge, Easton Fire Department, retirement. As you bid farewell to your work life and embark on a new chapter in life, a well-written speech will serve as an inspiring reminder of all that has been accomplished. "What made me what I am is the people here and the calls here," he said.The district board also had its own concrete step to commemorate Schapelhouman's legacy in the community. Jason McKenna was promoted to Battalion Chief. So allow me to leave you with a few pieces of advice: Believe in yourself but never be afraid of asking questions and learning more; cherish every relationship you come across; and remember that hard work pays off even when you dont see it right away! You can't take it personally or you're going to be a basket case. "The job essentially is bigger than any of us the responsibility to protect the community and serve the community," he said. Copyright 2023 Woman charged for fatal wrong-way crash on I-280 last weekend, Foothill-De Anza names four finalists to be next chancellor, Around Town: Palo Alto gets ready to celebrate 99th annual May Fete Parade, Take a look back at April with our month-end local news quiz, Special-education classrooms destroyed in possible arson at Cubberley Community Center, "They gave it the best college try they could give it, but he didn't make it," he said. WebAssistant Chief A.D. Vickery retires after 53 years of dedicated service. Partridge was honored with a citation each from the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts State Senate in recognition of his dedication and years of service, as well as a plaque from the Easton Select Board and framed recognition letter from State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. service to the Glens Government entity. Hostage situations.And, in the 1980s, there were many difficult calls due to the heroin epidemic and high crime rates, yielding a grim and repeating rhythm of "shooting, stabbing, assault, overdose," Schapelhouman said.There were also challenging calls that came from scientific laboratory sites like Raychem and SRI, he said. He served with the Swansea Fire Department, Berkley Fire & Rescue and Avon Fire Department before becoming chief in Easton in 2012. Each speaker talked about Partridges many contributions to the Easton Fire Department throughout the years and their personal connections with him. "Every single day you've got to do the job, whether your body's cooperating or not cooperating. Years from now, my fleeting memories will be filled with the experiences that had the greatest impacts on my life. PR for Police, Fire, Schools and Municipal Government. Fittingly, Schapelhouman's last day was dedicated to a ceremony to promote staff members of the fire district. My gratitude extends beyond words as I am leaving behind something thats defined me for over XX years. Today, I have many mixed emotions. ET They succeeded in safely evacuating every child from a 1997 fire at Green Oaks Academy in East Palo Alto despite extremely hazardous conditions, including a faulty fire alarm and no sprinkler system. They ceremoniously folded it and presented it to Mayor Suzanne Branding, who stood nearby. But also, it will be exciting to transition into a less demanding lifestyle. Projects around the home that Ive masterfully avoided with But Ive gotta work excuses are already on a list taped to the fridge. But life goes on and while Im grateful for the wonderful memories with all of you, I also look forward to new challenges ahead. All rights reserved. "I took that real hard.". This picture is pretty much how I feel today. Knowing what to say when passing the baton and sharing final words of wisdom is challenging. You have to understand that 25 years ago Covington was a different city, and it will evolve over the next 25 years to become whatever it's meant to be and the proud serving members of the Fire, Police, and Public Works will continue to see those changes through. I think about all the fantastic people Ive met who have helped me along the way from supervisors who encouraged me through challenging times to mentors who gave wise advice when the going got tough. For most of us, retiring in our mid-50s means finding a new career to help pay for those mortgages and college tuition bills that keep coming. Emotions were high during a speech by Interim fire Chief Kenny Cordonnier as he reminisced about his time with recently retired Fire Chief Mike Dalsing. I'm not saying you get there overnight, but in the end, it's the reason the fire service is the most trusted profession. He recalled responding to a call at an SRI building that wasn't marked from the outside, but inside had signage indicating the presence of radioactive materials. To ensure your address resonates with your audience, you should outline it properly before delivering it. WebBell service (Last Alarm or Last Call) After the religious ceremony or at interment, a fire department member reads a prepared statement about the firefighters last call. To my brothers and sisters who put the wet stuff on the red stuff, I would like to leave you with this from the History of the Worlds Greatest Fires: In Greek Mythology, Prometheus was a titan trickster who was said to have defied the gods by giving man fire. Little did I know that while accomplishing the tasks at hand, I was also gaining something much more valuable friendships with people who have become like family to me. The honor guard was followed by Mastandrea, his wife, daughter, two sons and his mother. Consider these retirement target hazards and pre-plan accordingly. A Great Speech: A Firefighters Plea To Think Small Can you move an audience to action in just four minutes? With the extremely risky work Schapelhouman took on, they worried about how a family would fit into the picture. Reality check. Suicides witnessed and responded to. Georgetown, MA 01833 Its rare to find an employee so dedicated and engaged, and frankly, I dont know what we will do without them. Chief Avsec earned his bachelors degree from the University of Cincinnati and his masters degree in executive fire service leadership from Grand Canyon University. The Almanac sat down with him on his last day to hear his reflections on a career spent dedicated to protecting and rescuing community members in their times of gravest need. Schapelhouman was introduced later that night at the Oasis (a beloved Menlo Park watering hole that shuttered in 2018), and the two stayed in touch while she attended college in Santa Barbara. .440 Police and fire department members in city of home rule class or urban-county government -- Qualifications -- Examination -- Tenure -- Reinstatement. At least age 55 with 25 or more years of service you will receive $250 per month. "Every single day you've got to do the job, whether your body's cooperating or not cooperating. We can save people I would have said in the past we would have lost.". Plus, Schapelhouman admits to having a workaholic streak. 6) Pre-Arrange Speeches and Toasts. H6 Radio Straps Decon Comfort Functionality, If you think it is hard to get into the fire service, wait until you try to get out; here are things you can do now to navigate that end-of-career change. You know you're going into a fire driven building, but you're not just firefighters. In 1962, General Douglas MacArthur uttered these famous words during a speech that embodied the spirit of sacrificing oneself for a higher cause: Duty, honor, country. This is an inspiring story and a wonderful example of what it means to dedicate one's life to serving the community. My next chapter may involve a learning curve, but I am confident that the life skills Ive learned here will help me in whatever I pursue going forward. Think about how many retired firefighters finally get surgeries for those knee and shoulder problems that they've been putting off for years. As I enter the legacy phase of my life, I do so humbly and gratefully, taking the invaluable lessons I have learned here and sharing them with others. and the department of defense. Whether it was getting to all those projects that you never seemed to have time for or taking care of business for family and friends, your weekly schedule can fill up in a hurry. Understand The Difference Between Resigning And Taking Early Retirement, Understanding the 5 Emotional Stages of Retirement and How to Deal With Them. Those little nagging aches and pains take on a new significance, especially when you don't have that peer pressure to keep working through them. It was always much easier to shop, make doctor appointments, schedule vacations and the like when weekday hours were fully in play. Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed. The Green Oaks Family Academy Elementary School Fire Protection Act became law in 2002, but Schapelhouman expressed disappointment that the legislation didn't cover existing school campuses, just new ones.He pushed for other common-sense measures from local agencies like for the district's emergency response vehicles to be exempted from FasTrak fees and fines when crossing the Dumbarton Bridge during emergency responses.Through it all, he worked at mastering the art of staying professional through the trauma by seeking to do justice to the grand calling of firefighting, many people's last line of defense in the face of grave danger.