Yuma Fire Department recognizes team for Fire Prevention Week

October 10, 2023 11:34 AM

Published October 10, 2023 1:25 PM

October 8-14 is Fire Prevention Week and has been proclaimed in Yuma by Mayor Nicholls

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The City of Yuma Fire Department (YFD) had a recognition event at Fire Station #1 in observance of Fire Prevention Week.

Fire Prevention Week has been proclaimed in Yuma by Mayor Douglas Nicholls and at the recognition event, he read the proclamation.

Fire Marshal Kayla Franklin acted as Master of Ceremony for this year’s event, marking the 101^st Anniversary of the first observation of Fire Prevention Week, said YFD.

The event began with the Pipes and Drums performance, and Honor Guard presentation, and then the Mayor read the proclamation and recognized members of YFD and others for their performance, service, and achievements.

Fire Chief Dusty Fields and Fire Marshal Kayla Franklin conducted these recognitions, along with Mayor Nicholls.

Here is the list of recognitions presented by YFD:

New Hire Recognitions

Firefighters: Noel Chavez, Peter Franks, Elijah Laing, Robert Stanford

Promotion Recognitions

Fire Engineer: Cody Pelfrey - 8 years with YFD
Fire Captain: James Chavez - 7 years with YFD

Special Recognition

Spanner Award: Jim Williamson spent about 180-man hours building a prop for the training facility with his brother, Tony. The training prop simulates the side and tail ends of a fire truck so firefighters can train on pulling hose lines without needing a reserve or frontline fire apparatus on site, said YFD.
Distinguished Service Award: Retired Fire Engineer Jimmy Allen helped extinguish a fire next to his house before YFD arrived and put out an active oven fire. Due to his actions, the fire spread was limited and the family was able to reoccupy their home immediately after YFD clearing. YFD thanks Jimmy for his fast response and heroic efforts.

Excellence in Service Award

Award of Service: Firefighter Tony Williamson has provided support to the professional services division, community risk reduction, Fire Administration, and the SCBA Technical Group, and is currently assisting the Yuma County Regional Fire Academy with logistics to pull off an academy for 20 personnel. YFD said they appreciate Tony for everything he has done and will be retiring soon,

Unit Citations

All Agencies County Wide Radio Outage - Damaris Bojorquez, Heather Boland-Thompson, Olga Chapman, Christine Long, Alex Munoz, Heather Pyeatt-Morris, Jessica Raney, and Trainee Teagan Watson
- Agencies across Yuma experienced a radio outage on the 4th of July after 9 p.m. The outage affected the field portable/mobile radios and the dispatch consoles went down. Dispatchers worked quickly from dispatch phones and their personal phones to contact field units, admin staff, other agencies, fire stations, etc., all while fielding calls from the public and improvised, said YFD. Radio communications were restored at 11:30 p.m. and during the outage, dispatchers received over 90 calls per hour and dispatched many calls for service to both police and fire. YFD said the group of dispatchers remained calm and worked around every problem without skipping a beat.

MVA California – Battalion Chief William Unterseh, Fire Captain David Padilla Jr., and Firefighters Aldo Millan, Alan Ibarra, Tristan Pennewell, and Joel Garcia
- Engine 1 and Medic 1 were dispatched to a vehicle accident in California near the Winterhaven Dr. exit where Engine 1 found a vehicle about 150 yards off the road and into the salt cedar trees. The vehicle was stuck under a tree that had been knocked over due to the accident and had a driver who was semi-conscious inside and was covered in blood. The crew cut the tree branches away from the vehicle and made room for the hydraulic tools. Once trees were cleared, the crew took out the driver using the hydraulic tools and lifted him up and out of the car after clearing the hood. Medic 1 crew treated the driver and turned him over to a waiting helicopter crew, said YFD.
Inaugural Regional Fire Academy – Battalion Chief Richard Root, Fire Captains Paul Evancho, Ryan Johnson, David Padilla Jr., and Aaron Wonders. Fire Engineers Jesse Townley, Jared White, and Justin Zahn. Firefighter Tony Williamson, and Fire Inspector Robert Rillamas
- This crew put their hard work into making the current fire academy a success. Every participant had an equal contribution to the success of the first regional fire academy concept. Captain Padilla and Captain Evancho have maintained communication and a working relationship with the staff at Arizona Western College, and worked with AZ@Work to receive over a $100K in grant funding, said YFD. They also have gone above the call for service to make sure the academy is successful.

Of The Year Awards