Carroll County, MD CCG 24 News, 1 Jun 2023

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From YouTube: Carroll County Department of Fire & EMS Commissioning Ceremony- June 1, 2023

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Good evening.

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It's an honor and a privilege to welcome everyone who is here in attendance for our first ever.

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Commissioning ceremony for the officers of the carroll county department of fire and.

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Ems, my name is chief michael robinson and I'm the director of the department of fire.

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And ems and it's an honor to be in that position and to continue to serve in the fire and ems.

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Services for the last 48 years, but tonight is not about. May it's about each of you. The.

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Families, the friends, the supporters of our 16 lieutenants, who have been given an awesome.

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Responsibility and that responsibility is to lead the formation. The daily operations.

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And to assure the consistency and excellence of fire and ems based services here in carroll.

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County so before we get started just a few housekeeping items, first and foremost, the.

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Restrooms, add in the vestibule make a left to my left and you will find facilities available.

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Second thing: this is a very life safety compliant building. It is fully sprinklered and I would.

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Like everyone to take a moment, even though you're in the midst of plenty of qualified.

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People take a moment and look at your nearest exit and in the event of an emergency, walk.

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Do not run to that exit and that will allow you to proceed to the at side.

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We would also like you to silence all devices. We recognize that there's many important people.

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In the room, including those that may need to respond, but as a courtesy to everyone else,.

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Please silence those devices. The next thing is is cameras. Please, no flash photography.

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uh You're welcome to take as many pictures as you would like and following the ceremony.

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We will have opportunities for you all to get some individualized pictures of your loved.

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Ones, uh along with the staff of uh the department of fire and ems and some of our elected officials,.

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So there will be ample opportunities for that, so with all that taken care of at this time.

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I would like to introduce the metropolitan baltimore pipes and drums tonight. We have.

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Representatives of the pipes, who will be piping in the members of what we call class one, the.

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Lieutenants and shift commanders of the carroll county department of fire and ems- all please.

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Rise, thank you.

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And now for the presentation of the colors, the carroll county, sheriff's office, honor.

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Guard uniform personnel present honor.

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Oh say: can you see by the dawn's early light? What's so proudly we hailed at the twilights.

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And last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. Oh.

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The ray our parts we've watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs.

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Bursting in air gave proof through the night and that our flag was still there oh say, does.

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That star-spangled banner get away.

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Or do they end of the free and the home of the brave.

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One nation, under god, indivisible with liberty, justice for all.

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Invocation and it's an honor to introduce.

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The chaplain of the carroll county volunteer emergency services, association, chaplain, charles.

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Greetings to each one of you this night, in the name of our risen, lord and savior, jesus.

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Christ, just I've got to say something. I I I just can't just do the invocation without.

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um Looking at my fellow fire and ems personnel that there's probably about four or five of.

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You that I watched grow up and that you stood in front of me years ago, and now I can say.

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It was years ago with your partners in crime, and I tied those knots really tight and some.

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Were use of knots and I'm sure they learned that very early in their fire school days.

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Gentlemen, I congratulate you and I wish you all the best. Let us pray gracious god for.

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This evening, for this new department of carroll, county fire and ems, we pause for just a moment.

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To say, thank you. Thank you that not only to our commissioners, but to all our county personnel.

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Our volunteers that we can come together as a group and have a combined operation to provide.

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A vital service to the citizens of this county, both fire and dms father. I know you'll, be.

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With each one of them because, as I say all the time that there's always an angel on my.

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Back and that angel will also be on yours, our lord jesus christ. May each of you know.

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That he will be with you and may the decisions you make be for the betterment of our county.

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And for the betterment of our people, for it is this, we ask in all our prayers through.

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Our lord jesus, christ and god's people said amen.

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Please be seated.

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Again, we welcome you to this momentous occasion and let me just give you a quick bit of history.

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Is tonight is the culmination of something that began here in earnest in carroll, county.

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Long before I was involved going back to 28 2018. at that time a task force was formed.

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To address the future needs of the emergency services within carroll county, and I assure.

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You that was not the first task force. The same thing had been done multiple times before.

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But the necessity grew out of a need and the need was to assure continuity of services.

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For the citizens and visitors of carroll county 24 hours a day, a void that had been filled.

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For over 200 years by the consistent work of our 14 volunteer, fire and ems companies.

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That work continues today and the direction of that task force was first to because we're.

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A commissioned form of government go to annapolis and proceed with some enabling legislation.

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And today you have it codified, it's called chapter 37 and it specifies the carroll county.

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Department of fire and emergency medical services as an organization of partnerships, partnerships.

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Between the career component and starting next thursday, our first employees will report.

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To work and will begin staffing at our westminster, tawny, town and sykesville stations, followed.

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Less than a month later, at our manchester and are reese and our mount airy stations.

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And from there this time next year, the following seven stations, our mission, our goal, our focus.

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Is the citizens and visitors that come through this county each and every day, 175 000 residents.

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And probably another 40 to 50 000 who travel our highways come here to work and with the.

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Success of our economic development and the traditions of our agricultural past were very.

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Robust economy within the county, none of this could have happened without the joint work.

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Of both elected officials, citizens at large and those that give of themselves every day.

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And sacrifice their very lives as needed, so we began- and I came here 22 months ago and.

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I had a definite mandate from the board of county commissioners. That mandate was to put.

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Together a system to make it user friendly and to serve the best needs of the citizens.

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Tonight is the beginning of that system and we're not stopping here. We have a direction.

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We're going to be guided by data and the analysis of that data. We're going to be guided by the.

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Outcomes of our actions and our goals will be quality, improvement, cost efficiency and.

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Creating a workplace environment that is conducive and welcoming to all of our employees and.

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Will work in continuity with our volunteers and we believe we are at that point and we.

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Will continue with the work ahead so tonight we're here to celebrate this milestone, which.

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Is not the last milestone in our evolution? This is one of but many. So what I'd like to.

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Do now is introduce and everyone here is a special guest but introduce some of the elected.

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Officials and dignitaries that we have among us and some other special invited guests that.

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We have first and foremost, I want to introduce the elected leadership of carroll, county and.

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I tell people I only have to please six people in carroll county doesn't matter what everybody.

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Else thinks those are the five commissioners and then statutorially. My direct report is.

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To our county administrative officers, let me start out with district one, uh joe vigliotti.

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County commissioner, representing district 2, kenneth kyler.

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Representing district 3 tom gordon, representing district 4, michael garan and district five.

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And the president of the county, commissioners, uh ed rothstein, also among our elected officials,.

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uh Representing the general assembly of maryland house of delegates representing carroll county.

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Delegate eric boucher are elected state's attorney the honorable haven shoemaker also former commissioner, and.

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Delegate, the elected clerk of the court and we thank her for her special assistance earlier.

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uh Clerk of the court heather deweese.

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And you'll notice, the same last name, our elected sheriff and certainly a partner of defense.

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Jimmy deweese and colonel of the sheriff's office, colonel hart and we'd, also at this.

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Time like to acknowledge their assistance and the providing of the honor guard of the.

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Carroll county sheriff's, uh if you like this facility tonight, it's a wonderful facility.

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Most importantly, it's cost effective and we also run a paramedic program here and uh are.

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Developing a tremendous partnership and I'd like to recognize president ball of the college.

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Representing the city of westminster, uh councilman, kevin dehoff, also, the chapel of the westminster.

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Volunteer fire company uh or my boss, the county administrator, who provides daily guidance and leadership. Ms.

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Roberta windham.

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Representing the state of maryland, the maryland institute of emergency medical services systems.

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Are state medical director, dr kim chismar,.

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And our region 3 ems administrator, which is the baltimore metropolitan, greater metropolitan.

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Statistical area, dr louis penae, peralta.

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Representing the maryland state firemen's association, their president, mr ben kurtz, I.

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Think ben may have stepped out of the room for a conference call.

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Representing the montgomery county department of fire rescue services, uh their division.

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Chief michael kelly,.

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From our carroll county volunteer emergency services association, their secretary marianne.

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And their treasurer mary carol stiffler did I miss any of the other. Ccv's officers only have it signed in.

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Representing the command staff of our winfield volunteer fire department, their chief tim.

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Representing hampstead their president, jim dwyer, their fire chief, troy hipsley.

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Certainly, no stranger to either the carroll county, fire and ems service or to county government.

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Retired, commissioner and I'll still call him the honorable stephen lance.

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And steve has a special purpose for being here today, it's okay to say something. We ran.

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A call, probably six weeks ago, eight weeks ago and mike stoner, our ems chief, recognized.

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It as this is commissioner lance's house, and he happened to have on board our medical director.

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Dr stephanie kemp, we got there along with the medic unit and uh I was actually next.

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Door getting lunch at the county office building almost got run over by the medic unit from.

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Pleasant valley on their way to carroll hospital center. I was able to get there at the same.

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Time, the ambulance and steve lance is now our ambassador to let people know both about.

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Heart healthy living and about our ems system, so steve we're glad you could make it here.

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Tonight, uh representing the city of annapolis,.

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We have their fire chief for bally.

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Making sure I don't miss anyone, uh the director of our constituents, services, which means a.

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Whole lot of agencies- and we work very closely with her to meet the social needs of our citizens.

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Ms celine steckel.

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Our communications director we have chris weinbrenner and chris is instrumental in us.

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Getting the word out there and has really assisted us with our recruitment efforts.

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And making sure I don't miss anybody.

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From my senior staff, my ems officer, michael stoner,.

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And my training, health and safety officer kevin fox, both her experienced chief officers.

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And like myself, they were willing to come out of retirement for the cause and uh the.

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Three of us do everything from carry boxes to light cleaning and we don't do windows.

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But we've been busy for the last uh year and beyond working many hours to make all this.

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Possible- and I could not do it without those two individuals also from our staff. We have.

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Ms kimberly dubert administrative assistant and the person that keeps me in line she's.

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Somewhere in the backstage here, working on things, miss callie williams,.

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And I apologize, I missed anyone, but another person you're going to hear from in a moment.

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Who's also on stage dr burton clark.

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Okay, so with that, I would like at this time to introduce for some remarks. Commissioner.

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Ed rothstein and commissioner rothstein and the entire commissioner staff, we can't say.

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Enough about them, I'm still driving around in an old motor pool car, which I'm glad to.

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Have but last year when I needed a new car came before the commissioners asking for a.

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Car just for me and I left with three cars, so you can have an elected group of people.

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And we're still physically conservative at the same time so for some remarks, commissioner.

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Ed rothstein.

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Okay, uh thank you very much and, as typical chief took most of the comments, I was going.

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To make so I'll just flip my page, the other side. First, uh one more welcome rick baker.

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I think you're out there somewhere to have our esac and esac is such a vital role. A few.

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Years back, as uh chief described the forming and the norming of this fire department came.

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From concept through development, from partnership across our colleagues, our legislators, our.

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Community, our fire departments, it could not have been done without the persistence of.

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Everyone involved and a special uh appreciation to my colleague and friends, commissioner, lance.

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As he walked through for eight years that process and the challenge now is that's in.

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The history of books: how are we going to now move forward and that's what the continued.

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Partnership needs to be um we'll get there. I am very proud to have my four colleagues.

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On stage with me, in focusing on what the next steps of what carroll county's fire department.

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Is going to be it's all about the safety security of our community and couldn't have asked for.

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Anybody better than chief robinson to be in place in leading this effort.

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You know he mentioned the dignitaries that are out here and the special guest, but the.

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Special guests to me are really the families and the community that wraps their arms around.

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These fine lieutenants they're about to get badged. It takes a special person to raise.

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Their hands to take an oath to selflessly support and defend the constitution and the.

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Work that they do, knowing that it could be the last time in coming home.

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It doesn't there's not a lot of folks that do that, so I give a lot of credit to them.

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And I give a lot of credit to the family, the kids, the community in supporting them. I lived.

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About 30 plus years in uniform, it's not just about the men and women in green, but the men.

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And women, green, blue and also in red, so I'm very proud to be side by side with them all.

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The dignitaries to me aren't the politicians, aren't the partners that got us to where we.

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Are it really is the men that are up on stage here as the families that are supporting them.

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That's really the message I want to share with you this evening. We've come a long ways.

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That's in the history of books, we have a long ways to go and I'm proud to stand by those.

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That are going to be commissioned this evening. So with that said, let's get the show on the.

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Road and back to chief robinson thank you.

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Thank you, commissioner, and also I noticed he was also in the audience I'd like to introduce.

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Ms valerie hawkins, who is our acting director of the department of public safety and our.

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Emergency manager for carroll, county valerie.

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There she is and I'll note that you came all the way back from ocean city to be here so.

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I'd really be remiss if I didn't mention her and also, I think we have dr john murphy, also.

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A member of our esac, dr murphy, out there. Yes, there he is, and thank you for coming. Dr murphy.

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Dr murphy serves as one of our citizen members of the emergency services advisory council.

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And dr murphy spent 30 plus years as the director of administration for the maryland institute.

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For emergency medical services, in fact, they named the building after him in downtown baltimore.

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So we're glad to have you here as well uh like to turn now and introduce our keynote.

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Speaker who's going to give us some words of wisdom and tonight's speaker is uh dr burton.

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Clark dr clark, who hails from mount airy and I'll, qualify that, with he's on the frederick.

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County side, but he comes to carroll county to do all of his daily business. Dr clark has.

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Been in the fire service for 53 years, he began as a volunteer in prince george's county at.

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The kentland fire company, which is actually the world's busiest volunteer fire company,.

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He also served as a chief officer within the prince george's county system for a number.

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Of years in 1972 he was hired as a probationary firefighter by the washington d.c fire department.

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And then in 1980, uh after a report came out and after a federal law, the national fire.

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Prevention and control act was passed, a vision of the fire service was born and they came.

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To a small town in frederick county called emmitsburg, and here at emmitsburg, maryland.

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Since 1980, we have the national fire academy, which is equivalent to the fbi academy of.

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Quantico, but for the fire service and also called the harvard university graduate school.

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For the fire service, uh dr clark was one of the original staff members there and since.

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1980 and he retired in 2014. As the chair of the management sciences program, I came across.

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Dr clark as a young officer in the early 1980s, when I made my first visit there and I was.

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Associated with him there for 31 years as I served as an adjunct faculty member and.

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I came to know dr clark for his passion, his perseverance and his excellence in anything.

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Fire service, even though he's got letters after his name he's far from a theorist, dr.

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Clark is a practitioner and, most importantly, it's his passion in the fire service that.

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Has saved lives he is nationally known for what's called the seat belt, pledge that millions.

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Of firefighters have signed uh he's, also known for the may day program he's written several.

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Books on fire culture and even a book on poetry. Recently the love of his life, uh carolyn smith,.

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Clark also a faculty member at the national fire academy passed away, and I remember calling.

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Bert letting him know that he's here close to carroll county and he still has a family.

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Nearby and that's the carroll county fire and ems service, when I first came here in.

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2021 one of my immediate goals was: let's have a strategic plan. Let's bring in not a bunch.

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Of people to hear me, but people that have the expertise that are doing it every day.

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We brought people in from different walks of life and for about four months under the.

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Leadership of cc visa, our agency and rick baker and the esac we put together a strategic.

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Plan under dr clark's guidance, so I could think of no greater person to have as our.

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Keynote speaker for our initial event: kicking off the carroll county department of fire.

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And ems, then dr burke clark so dr clark, we're glad to have you and the floor is yours.

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Wow, I hope I can live up to that. We'll do our best. The title of this is change, lead.

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Follow resist you pick change is the only absolute we love change. We fear change change.

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Brings life change brings death if change is so significant, why don't we study it more.

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You see, change is baked into who we are it's like time and space we're aware of it, but.

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If it's normal, we don't recognize it. For example, the earth spins every 24 hours. We all know.

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That the sun rises the sun sets, but did you realize that we're all moving at a thousand.

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Miles an hour just sitting here, so we're never in the same spot, we're always moving even.

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Though we're sitting here, it gets more interesting. The earth goes around the sun in 365 days.

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We understand that we understand a year. We have a birthday another trip around the sun.

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But when it's doing that it's traveling at 68 000 miles per hour, that's almost unbelievable.

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So we think we're just a year older, but we've changed a lot. Our solar system goes 140 miles.

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Per second around the milky way, and it takes 200 million years to go around one time.

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So if you think you're old, you haven't even made one rotation yet.

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But how we react to that change is taught to us and we learn it. For example, we've all.

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Seen time lapse film, that's how old I am film, video, whatever you want to call it of a flower.

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Growing out of the ground and blooming into something beautiful by the sheer fact that.

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I said that and put that in your brain. You saw that and you had some kind of positive.

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Or warm experience based on that, but now keep watching that flower. It will decay and it.

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Will die and it won't exist anymore. So when you see that that's kind of a negative feeling.

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But we are taught that and they were both the same kind of thing. So change is that only.

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Absolute, how we feel about change is put into us and taught to us at both the micro level.

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And the macro level so now, as michael said, I'm from the national fire academy and we.

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Can't do anything there without audience participation and you're lucky I didn't bring any flip charts.

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With me or you'd, be in workout groups right on a flip chart, but this is what everybody.

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Has to do uh there's, there's no age limit. Everybody can do this. There's no cheating.

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Off each other, spelling does not count because I'm dyslexic and it's kind of a psycho motor.

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Kind of thing so this when I tell you not before, but when I tell you what I want you.

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To do even up here, I want you to just fold your hands that by fold your hands.

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Everybody's got to do it and so far everybody has passed, but now here's the really hard.

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Part, what I want you to do is to unfold your fingers and put the other ones. On top. You.

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That should feel weird. That's unusual, that's not the way it's supposed to be. You can let.

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Go now, but the point is at some time in your life, you decided how you were going to fold.

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Your hands for the rest of your life and you've done it that way, every day.

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And that's your norm and that's okay, but now some quacko guy asks you to do it a different.

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Way, you have just experienced change almost at a biological level. Most of the change we.

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Go through every day we just don't see because we're just not aware of it, but that's changed.

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The micro level now for those high-tech people out there just this week like yesterday artificial.

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Intelligence, ai right ai, was added to the list of potential human extinction. Events.

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Along with pandemic and nuclear war,.

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I studied computer programming in high school with punch cards, you know, and machines and.

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Type, I can't my brain just doesn't comprehend ai, but guess what your fire department is.

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Going to be dealing with ai, maybe not in their careers, but the next couple classes, they're.

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Going to be dealing with ai, what does that mean? How is it connected to nuclear war and.

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Pandemics, I'm old enough to remember bert the turtle. Does anybody remember birth, the.

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Turtle beside me, bert, was my name so berta turtle. Anybody remember burton turtle. He was.

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What they he was, the character that taught us in elementary school to duck and cover.

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When we saw the nuclear flash, that was how they were going to protect us duck and cover.

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Like bert the turtle- and we will all survive nuclear war.

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It's funny on one end, but then during the pandemic, my younger brother glenn died of.

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Covet so I understand those constructs because I've lived them. I can't imagine what ai is.

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Going to do there is a normal rate of change in terms of the rate, volume and novelty of change. That.

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Each of us are familiar with and can deal with, both individually, our families, the tribes.

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Were members of and we can effectively work in those kinds of environments as class number.

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One you have jumped into organizational change that is outside the norm: rate volume and novelty.

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You will be writing the book on a social, political, economic and technological environments. You.

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Are creating your job never existed before in time and space? You are in the time and.

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Space, you are entering you, bring a lot of knowledge, skills and abilities to what you're.

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Going to be doing, but that was then that's not tomorrow, so this is a whole new experience.

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For you, you decided to follow the vision of mike and all the leadership that mike talked.

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About to create this new entity in carroll county, that's never existed before and in.

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Reality has never existed in maryland before and, to the best of my knowledge has never.

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Existed in the fire service nationwide.

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You don't realize the significance of what this group of people have done to the industry.

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Of the fire service, it's never been done before, like this wow, I'm so honored to have been.

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A little piece of that process, I feel very unqualified, to pass on any useful words in.

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Terms of where you're going because nobody's been there before.

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So to help me prepare for this, I reflected back on some of my previous messages. Please.

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Indulge me in november 2001 I had the honor and privilege to be the keynote speaker at.

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The graduation speech for the district columbia fire department, recruit, class, 329 and actually.

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The members of the recruit class were the ones that picked me and I had graduated 20.

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Years earlier, and they picked me to come back and talk to them that just blew my mind, I.

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Was just unbelievable in terms of the honor that they bestowed on me the title of that.

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Speech was what matters I told the class that what would matter to them 30 years from then.

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In the future was their health, their family, their pension and career satisfaction. I added.

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It will take courage, commitment and competence to have these blessings. U16 have already had.

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You 16 have done all those things already in your other careers, but now you're starting.

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All over again wow, so you've got all that to square two. What an exciting opportunity.

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It'd be interesting to see how you react to that. At the end of the speech, I told them.

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The speech didn't matter that what would matter is to have all those blessings, and I also.

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Asked them to invite me to the retirement party 20 years from that day, because I wanted.

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To find out, if I was right about what mattered I haven't gotten invited yet.

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In 2004 I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the fire department instructors.

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Conference now for those that don't know that is the largest fire service conference in.

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The country held annually and there's between 30 and 35 000 people that attend that. So I.

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Was honored to be one of the keynoters at that presentation? The title of the speech.

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Was light be the light? The message was that the people and events in our life can change.

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Us from one day to the next something can happen or we can meet somebody and they change.

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Us forever, after that, that's not a really earth shattering, but the important piece that.

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I added was that the other side of the coin is that my life could change. Somebody else.

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And most of the time, I don't even know it what a tremendous responsibility that is for.

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All of us, and especially those folks 16 that are in leadership positions for the first.

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Time the whole fire service carolina has never had that position before how they behave. Every.

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Day will influence the people they come in contact with.

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That's a tremendous responsibility.

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So that's an old speech, it's almost 20 years old, but I can't believe this either this year.

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At the maryland state fireman's convention in in uh ocean city, they are reprinting that.

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Speech in the book that they hand out there, because somebody saw that speech and thought.

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It was a good idea, I can't believe a 20 year old. What came out of my mouth 20 years ago.

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Had value to people today and maybe into the future, so that's the power of how one individual.

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Can have influence on others sometimes way beyond what we're even aware of.

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What I was preparing for this actually, since I came in, I got the chance to look at this.

H

That the group put together- and I had to add some comments on this, because I've seen a.

H

Lot of these- and most of them are like nice to know, but there's not much in them, but when.

H

I went through this. I was really impressed first with mike's comments on the inside michael.

H

Your national fire academy training is showing I mean I I don't say that to be funny, but.

H

The fire academy was about preparing people to see into the future, but do things today.

H

And I think that's reflected in michael's statement. That's in here he he didn't just.

H

Do this off the cuff, he thought about this and he used words like leaders and trailblazers.

H

He learned the war trailblazer at the fire academy, so we will take credit for that, but.

H

They were at some actually brilliant words, so so please read those and think about those.

H

The other ones that I wanted to share was what I went through and looked at all the.

H

Names and faces and backgrounds. This is how I think of these guys.

H

They are the astronauts that landed on the moon for the first time.

H

That that that's what came to mind when I saw this, you are the astronauts that, when.

H

I was in eighth grade, landed on the moon for the first time. What what an amazing opportunity.

H

Absolutely mind-boggling, so you are blessed and we're so lucky to have you and all the.

H

The systems that allowed this to take place and you're about to launch and it'll be interesting.

H

To see what we learned from that endeavor, the other thing I want to talk about is the.

H

Back of the book in terms of and I'm assuming the graduates you collectively wrote this.

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Paragraph back here because you're sending a message to your loved ones and friends and.

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Supporters- and it's absolutely brilliant- I may add a little edit if I may, because the.

H

Last sentence we want to, we want you to know our sincere gratitude and love for you as.

H

We walk across the stage and onto and onward into this next phase of our careers and lives.

H

Your career is not your life, the people out there are your life, they are part of your.

H

Career, but never let them go, never forget them, we have a career, we have a life and they.

H

Go hand in hand.

H

Getting close to the end, since my wife carolyn died.

H

That's been the most significant emotional event in my life and if I cry just forgive.

H

Me, but this is we, we don't share these kinds of experiences, but I think they're important.

H

I have a new definition of what grief means. I never knew what grief was. I thought I did.

H

But until the love of my life died, that was not a difference in grief in degree. It was.

H

A difference in kind.

H

But at the same time, I have a new understanding of what love is because of what carolyn and.

H

I had for each other and what we gave each other, so even through the grief I see our.

H

Love as a blessing, that's the yin and the yang of life and, most recently, because it's.

H

Been several months, carolyn died back in november. I find myself feeling more and more alone.

H

Like I've never felt before, because you don't have somebody to say hi to you, don't have.

H

Somebody say I'm going to the store, you don't have anybody to say. I'm coming I'm home.

H

She couldn't come to this tonight. She came to all my speeches without this.

H

But but I come to love our six kids or 14 grandchildren and our seven, almost eight great-grandchildren.

H

More now, because I have them in my life- that's why you have to add life to that paragraph.

H

I lost my place.

H

Also, I want to thank all of you for giving me this precious presence of coming and being.

H

With you and being part of this because, as mike said, I was there at the beginning and.

H

H

And, most importantly, I must thank your county administrator, roberta windham she's, probably.

H

Surprised because we just met, um I told her. She was my substitute wife in that in that five minute interface, that we.

H

Had because, as she came up to sit down next to me, she leaned into my ear and said your.

H

H

And I said who are you she said: I'm a county administrator.

H

I said that's exactly what my wife should have done before I left the house, so thank.

H

You thank you thank you, but anybody.

H

That that made this whole event even more special to me, so I I I I hope it did for all.

H

Of you and it's on tape forever someplace, so that that was just absolutely marvelous.

H

So here's the end, uh I can't wait 20 or 30 years till you retire to find out if any of.

H

This made any difference, so here's what I want to do a year from now: let's go to lunch.

H

Right and you can buy mine and um what I want to know is: what's changed? What did you lead.

H

What did you follow and what did you resist, and why did you do that? Congratulations, thank.

H

You all very much, thank you. Thank you.

I

Thank you michael appreciate. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you.

A

And we thank dr burton clark for those prolific motivational words and reflecting, while he.

A

Was talking as he brings up some good points and one of the things you need to leave here.

A

With tonight is life is short, we're all here passing on a short journey and if we focus.

A

That entire journey, just on our careers, we will have missed out on about 90 percent of.

A

Life, what's most important is that we go home safely at the end of our shifts and waiting.

A

For us, as a welcoming family, at whatever level, whatever form that takes, we can never lose.

A

Sight of family- and it's really all about you supporting us so at this time, to provide.

A

A response for the class I'd like to introduce shift commander lieutenant dan dashenko.

J

Thank you. Thank you chief, dr clark, thank you for your words and I for different circumstances and.

J

Different reasons, my wife was unable to make it here tonight, but your ending story made.

J

Me lean back and check my fly, so thank you for that march. 2Nd 2023 will forever be known.

J

In carroll county government, as the day, the elected officials both past and present, took.

J

Momentous step in securing the essential government services of ems and fire protection for the.

J

Citizens and visitors of carroll county maryland, the elected officials should be commended.

J

For their efforts, which have been years in the making on behalf of the station officers,.

J

And shift commanders, I want to thank you for this opportunity and I want to assure you.

J

That we will not let you or the citizens we swore to protect now. Failure is not an option.

J

And it's not a word in our vocabulary. The word we speak is service. It's service to others.

J

Its service to the citizens of carroll county, the officer group has a wide range of experience.

J

For some, this is the second fire service career, bringing knowledge and experience from other.

J

Established apartments here to carroll county for others. This is the first time they've.

J

Been a company officer as a career, employee supervising other career members and in more.

J

Than one instance, some of our officers have been in the career fire service longer than.

J

Some of our officers have been alive.

J

I will speak to the lieutenants in a minute, but first I want to take the moment to speak.

J

To the true unsung heroes of the carroll county department of fire and ems, these heroes are.

J

Not department, employees and they're, not our elected officials. These heroes, don't depart.

J

Don't dawn a department issued uniform these heroes? Are the spouses significant others.

J

Children and grandchildren of our officers, while some of you have been standing alongside your loved one for years in the career fire.

J

Service for others, this will be a new experience.

J

Your loved one accepted a challenge of being a leader in a developing system. Leadership.

J

And most certainly at the company officer level does not end when the work day is over.

J

I'm here to tell you that your loved one will miss holidays birthdays, sporting events, dance.

J

Recitals and other special family moments. I will confirm that while they are off duty.

J

They will be answering phone calls, emails text, messages and oftentimes appear mentally.

J

Engaged in work, while they're home, as some of you here, can attest, and certainly if you.

J

Ask my wife, heather from june 8th on every household emergency that will happen in your.

J

Life will happen when your loved one is at work. The hot water heater will rupture the.

J

Roof will leak, the car won't start and more than once, the dog will meet the neighborhood.

J

Skunk at 11 pm all while your loved one is away from home, you will call or text them.

J

Because you are having a household incident happening only to not get a response, because.

J

They are inaccessible attending to a stranger's emergency. I tell you these things not to alarm.

J

You, but to tell you that you are not alone. My advice is to get to know the department.

J

Members and their families- you are part of the fire department, family now and the family.

J

Always takes care of its own.

J

There's nothing more than I can say, then thank you for sharing your loved one with the department.

J

On behalf of the shift commander's office, I give you my word that we will do everything.

J

In our power to send your loved one home, healthy and safe, most likely, tired and every so often.

J

12 or 24 hours later than you expected them because they had to stay at work.

J

But our pledge to you for generously lending your loved one to the service of the county.

J

Is that it will may take every effort to send them home, healthy and safe.

J

To my fellow lieutenants and shift commanders, as you know, I spend a lot of time driving.

J

From garrett county to carroll county, I've spent the last few weeks thinking about what.

J

It is that I could say that would speak to lieutenant mosher with more than 40 years.

J

Of fire service experience and more than 20 years of them as a career company officer.

J

The same as it would speak to lieutenant pollard, whose first date in command of a company in.

J

A fire station will be next week on june 9th. What I want to tell you is something that.

J

Took me a long time as a company officer to learn your job as an officer can be summed.

J

Up in one word, it is a word. I've spoken eight times in the past four minutes. It's service.

J

It's service to others, its service to our citizens and visitors, service, to our department.

J

Members, both career and volunteer, don't ever lose sight of. Why we're here and what the.

J

County demands of us it is to provide service. In closing, I wanted to share an expert of.

J

A speech from the fire department instructors conference in indianapolis 15 years ago. He.

J

Was spoken by new york city fire department, lieutenant ray mccormick, his words resonated.

J

With me, then, have changed meaning over the years and continue to speak to me today. These.

J

Words is spoken by lieutenant mccormick, it's a privilege to be in the fire service. It's.

J

A privilege to work with people who care about other people, it's a privilege to be accepted.

J

In the family of firefighters,.

J

Today is about finding your personal spark if you're lucky, you find it right away. The.

J

Fire service holds out one for each of us when you find it keep it when you find it.

J

Share it when you find it realize how truly fortunate you are learn, all you can about.

J

The enemy train, try new methods.

J

Be careful out there remember to keep fire in your life to our family and friends. Thank.

J

You for attending you'll never truly understand what your love and support means to us.

A

We thank you lieutenant for those inspiring words and, yes, he did say garrett county. He.

A

Lives in deep creek lake, but fortunately on shift work, they'll be working eight times.

A

A month, okay, at this time, lieutenant ross prepare the class for the swearing-in.

A

This time I'll administer the oath of office for the department of fire and ems. If the.

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Lieutenants and lieutenant shift commanders will all raise their right hands repeat after.

A

Me her do not repeat after me: do you solemnly swear that you will support the constitution.

A

Of the united states and that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state.

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Of maryland and support the constitution and laws thereof, and that you will to the best.

A

Of your skill and judgment diligently and faithfully without partiality or prejudice.

A

Execute the position of lieutenant for the department of fire and ems for carroll county.

A

Maryland according to the constitution and laws of this state, if so, then please say I.

A

Do whatever they do, I congratulate you all being dually sworn lieutenants and lieutenant.

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Shift commanders of the carroll county department of fire and ems: please remain standing.

A

At this time, we're going to begin the badge pinning ceremony portion of the program and.

A

I would invite the pre-designated family members and significant others to proceed over to.

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My stage left and prepare to enter the stage lieutenant prepare the class.

A

And at this time I would like to introduce kevin fox who will be reading the names of.

A

The honorees, and also we will have the members of the board of county commissioners, will.

A

Be receiving each of the lieutenants once their badges are penned on and they receive.

A

Their appropriate commissioning certificates.

I

While we're preparing- I I don't have to give since it is graduation time, I'm not going.

I

To have to give that old, graduation speech about cat calls, am I.

I

Thank you very much without you, it was an easy decision. Besides having a strong reputation, you made a difference. I'm commissioner, I was commissioner last time so you live in the legacy shift commander.

I

Lieutenant daniel dushenko, thank you.

D

Congratulations.

I

Shift commander lieutenant joshua pearson foreign.

I

Shift commander lieutenant joseph ross.

F

I

Shift commander lieutenant richard svoboda.

I

Lieutenant bryce ballard.

I

Lieutenant brendan bonita.

I

I

Lieutenant sean borgman.

F

S, congratulations.

I

Lieutenant eric balston foreign.

I

I

Lieutenant ryan dyson [applause].

I

I

Lieutenant guy gerhart [applause].

I

Lieutenant michael hess.

I

Lieutenant michael carolenko foreign.

I

Thomas kowalczak [applause].

D

I

Michael moser [applause].

I

Lieutenant david olson foreign.

A

As our dually sworn and penn lieutenants return to their seats, let's have a round of applause.

A

And, as signified by the pending of the badges, may, this new bond, which has been formed, create.

A

A linkage that provides mutual support between the lieutenants and their families at the.

A

Beginning and the end of each shift they're going to be exposed, as they have been already.

A

In their careers to the sights, the sounds, the smells and to human condition in its rawest.

A

Form they're going to require your encouragement, their support and be assured that carroll.

A

County government and the department of fire and ems will do all in our power to assure.

A

That they return safely each and every shift. Congratulations, lieutenants, [applause].

A

And next we have a brief presentation which was put together by the class. I have no idea.

A

What this presentation entails and we may begin some termination procedures and I hope.

A

Hopefully not so sit back and enjoy a few minutes. A reflection of class number one.

A

C

D

D

And I lost my life [music] [applause].

A

Certainly appreciate your creativity, I didn't.

A

Quite understand that lion king segment- I guess I was mufasa, but when I was looking.

A

At simba looked just like mike carolanco, that's a little bit scary, but uh great job, and we.

A

Appreciate that creativity and humor, because that's all part of the job.

K

So, on behalf of class, one we realize coming in the door, uh we're gonna have to create.

K

Tradition uh where you know we're we're blazing the trails and all the beautiful words of.

K

Dr clark and such but uh there's a few traditions that we're gonna. I want to talk about the.

K

Two mainly so, first one is: um we've: we've been trapped in the training center for the.

K

Last couple of months- and it's been a it's been quite an experience uh early on- we set.

K

Off uh to establish our first uh tradition, one day chief came in and he was wearing boots.

K

uh That the souls were absolutely coming apart and he walked all over the training center.

K

So we started seeing what looked like tar worked into the carpets. It was not only in.

K

The carpets it was on every floor, apparently in every bathroom, so I'm not sure what was.

K

Going on that day, but it was everywhere in the whole training center, uh so uh lieutenant.

K

Hess took charge, we went to lowe's, we got simple, green scrub, brushes buckets and we.

K

Scrubbed every floor of the training center because after we scrubbed the first spot, we.

K

Realized that none of the floor was going to look right, if just that one spot was that.

K

Clean, so that's our first uh tradition, it's a formerly known as operations chief shoes.

K

And recruits will absolutely enjoy that one day when we switch over to that scenario, the.

K

Other tradition that we want to start- and this is absolutely something that's sentimental to us- is a class plaque. So I asked you've come up real, quick on behalf of class, one.

K

On the shift commanders and station lieutenants, we proudly present this staff. uh This class.

K

Excuse me plaque for class. One ought to be hung at the training center. Our first time.

K

Years in the training academy- and we had a.

A

Saying there every time the plaque would be presented, I know there's some graduates of.

A

That academy, here my what a beautiful plaque and we will find an appropriate place to hang.

A

It- and this does uh begin a great tradition. Let me just say a few words. First of all about.

A

The shoes there are no words.

A

But if uh you had been at my house that evening and had to deal with my wife and that same.

A

Pair of shoes, there are no words and those shoes one in the trash, and I did find another.

A

Pair similar but they're operational, so thank you very much for that. What some of you may.

A

Or may not know is this was in a unique process. We did something for this group of people.

A

And actually for our beginning here in carroll county, and that is hiring people that are.

A

Pre-Trained and pre-qualified about 37 years ago I went down to the state house in annapolis.

A

And I was part of something new. We were created through an entity of the maryland fire rescue.

A

Education and training, commission, a governor's commission and we began a project in maryland.

A

Called fire service certification um at the time I was 26 years old and at the age of.

A

28 I became the chair of that group and today in the state of maryland some 37 years later,.

A

We've certified over 175 000 uh people and what that means is people have credentials.

A

That are valid here in maryland, that are based on training based on testing demonstration.

A

Of competencies, we've become a model for the united states and for the whole world and.

A

That system has validated itself for the first time here in maryland, with the hiring of these.

A

16 lieutenants, they came from various backgrounds, but at the end of the day there was a common.

A

Denominator, that was state and national credentials that are 100 percent, valid based on national.

A

Fire protection association standards, so their next task was having been hired under those.

A

Standards was to hire firefighter emts firefighter paramedics, paramedics and fire apparatus driver.

A

Operators based on those standards, so we had to come in, we developed together a testing.

A

Process we brought in many external components, including the university of maryland, evaluators.

A

From other regional fire departments, but mainly it was through their diligence through their.

A

Competencies and through their past that we evaluated over 346 people to finally come.

A

Up with the best of the best who are going to be beginning along with them, this next.

A

Thursday and from there we're going to follow a suit in july and again next july. And what.

A

We are doing in the process is bringing in people that are validated that have experienced.

A

Doesn't mean they know everything they still have to learn the way of carroll county, but.

A

In essence, we have saved millions of dollars and we have assured that we've brought in.

A

People that meet a standard and that have demonstrated true competencies and that would.

A

Not be possible without the diligence and commitment of these 16 individuals over the.

A

Last three months, the days have been very long because to keep them on there. What is.

A

Known as a 42-hour work week and not have to complicate things, they've had to come come.

A

In and work multiple days, six in the morning to eight at night and then some of them had.

A

To drive as far as deep creek lake maryland and others had to drive as far as rising sun.

A

Maryland places that we don't go every day, but they have continued to do that. There's.

A

Light at the end of the tunnel and beginning on thursday, they will be going to shift work.

A

And we're very confident that at the stations where they're serving and for the four they're.

A

Going to work as the senior level people representing the department of fire and ems 24 7 from now.

A

Into perpetuity it's going to be a new direction for carroll, county and they've, certainly validated.

A

Themselves and in testament thereof, we've given them tonight's event, so to close things.

A

Off at this point in time, I'd like to call upon lieutenant joe ross for the final roll.

A

Call then we'll have the dismissal and we invite all of you all for a reception and.

A

Some light refreshments out in the lobby and if you're into the heated night, you can go.

A

Out into the beautiful courtyard that the college has so with that lieutenant ross.

B

Shift commander lieutenant daniel dushenko shift commander lieutenant joshua pearson.

B

Shift commander lieutenant richard saboda, lieutenant bryce ballard lieutenant brendan.

B

Bonita lieutenant sean borgman, lieutenant eric bastian, lieutenant jeffrey carroll, lieutenant.

B

Ryan dyson lieutenant guy gerhart, lieutenant michael hess, lieutenant michael carolinko.

B

Lieutenant thomas kozowski lieutenant michael moser, lieutenant david olson.

B

Chief robinson class, one present and all accounted for sir lieutenant ross, a job well done by.

A

Class one class dismissed godspeed. Thank you, sir.

A

And at this time we thank everyone for their attendance for their patience and they'll.

A

Join with me in a final recognition and then a celebration of class number one of the carroll.

A

County department of fire and ems.

A

A

Class one you may retreat.