York Professional Fire Fighters Assn.
Local No. 627, International Association of Fire Fighters

LOCAL NEWS

Local 627 Installs New Officers for 2008

The new incoming officers of the York Professional Fire Fighters Association were sworn in at the regular monthly meeting of the association, held on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at the Vigilant Fire Station.

The officers of the York Professional Fire Fighters Association for 2008 are:

• William H. Sleeger, Jr., President
• Chester D. Thomas, III, First Vice President
• Kevin L. Holtzapple, Second Vice President
• Allen P. Fuentes, Secretary
• Keith A. Ramsay, Treasurer

• David J. Ferguson, Trustee
• Douglas E. Howard, Trustee
• Kevin L. Holtzapple, Trustee

• Shawn E. Caruso, Guide
• Kenneth E. Swartz, II, Guide

• Douglas E. Howard, Union Steward
• Marc W. Ott, Union Steward
• Robert E. Bievenour, Union Steward
• William L. Collins, Jr., Union Steward
• Kevin E. Westover, Union Steward

• Gregory S. Altland, Pension Board Representative

Awards Ceremony Recognizes Members For Outstanding Service

Several members of the York Professional Fire Fighters Association were recognized during an awards ceremony held on Thursday, December 20, 2007 in the lobby of York City Hall.

Lieutenant David Michaels and Firefighter/Acting Lieutenant Mark Bowman received letters of commendation for their actions in rescuing a citizen during a fire at 115 North Penn Street on May 10, 2007. The victim was located in the third floor apartment and removed to a safe area via a fire escape.

Assistant Chief John Kottmyer, Firefighter/Acting Lieutenant Chad Deardorff and Firefighters Timothy Bair and Jeffrey Miller received letters of commendation for their actions in extricating a subject who had impaled himself on an iron fence at the York Fairgrounds in West Manchester Township on September 12, 2007.

Firefighter Robert Bievenour received a Chief's Commendation for his actions on July 15, 2007. Bievenour, while off-duty, was kayaking on the Youghiogheny River near Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania where he observed a kayaker had become injured. Bievenour provided emergency care to the victim and improvised a rigging system to remove the subject from the river to an awaiting ambulance.

Lieutenant Gil Kimes and Firefighters Ronald Dennis, Frederick DeSantis, III and Marc Ott received Chief's Commendations for their actions in rescuing several victims after an explosion damaged several residences in the 900 block of West College Avenue. Several residents were removed from the rubble of their homes and were moved to a safe area to receive emergency care.

Firefighters Keith Ramsay and Kenneth Swartz, II received Awards of Merit for their actions on January 20, 2007. First arriving at a residential structure fire at 1017 Hay Street, the two entered the structure without the protection of a hose line in an attempt to rescue victims trapped inside. The firefighters found two obviously deceased victims on the second floor and continued to the third floor trying to locate a third victim. The firefighters' escape route had become blocked by fire, and the two had to escape via a second floor window to a front porch roof for refuge.

Lieutenant David Michaels was recognized as the 2006 Firefighter of the Year for his actions as a firefighter and as a member of the York Professional Fire Fighters Association. Michaels serves with the South Central Pennsylvania Juvenile Fire Setter Program and participated as a member of the Firefighter Combat Challenge Team. Michaels is certified as a Firefighter II, Fire Inspector II and as an Emergency Medical Technician, and serves as a Basic Life Support instructor. Michaels was presented with the award at the York Professional Firefighters Association banquet in April of 2007.