By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Three local firefighters who share a collective 100-years-plus in their chosen career or avocation took home top honors from the Escambia County Volunteer Firefighters Association (ECVFA) awards banquet, held July 11.
Atmore Fire Department Chief Ronald Peebles was selected as 2023’s Career Full Time Fire Chief of the Year; AFD Capt. Louis English was honored as Career Firefighter of the Year; and Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department Capt. Jerry Gehman was presented with the John Martin Lifetime Achievement Award for his 42-year fire-service career with AFD and NVFD.
Peebles, a 25-year veteran firefighter who has been an association member all that time, said he was caught totally off guard by the award he received.
“It’s an honor to be honored by that group of people,” he said of the 285-member association. “I certainly didn’t expect it; it was a surprise, to say the least. I had no clue that the award would be taking place.”
English, who Peebles said has been a firefighter for “probably 35 years or more,” couldn’t be reached for comment on his honor, but Gehman said the Atmore fireman’s acceptance speech was short and sweet.
“Louis came up to get his award and he said, ‘my speech is, thank you’,” Gehman recalled, pointing out that English is retired but always eager to fill in when a need arises. “He’s retired, but he’s active when he’s needed. This was a major award; I’m proud of Louis and Ronald.”
The Nokomis fire captain, the most veteran of the three top winners and also an Atmore businessman, is even prouder to have received the lifetime achievement recognition, which is named for one of his firefighting mentors.
“It’s just an honor to have the John Martin Lifetime Achievement Award,” he said, pointing out that Martin, who was longtime fire chief in Brewton, AFD Chief Charlie Rutherford and Bay Minette’s Tim Blakemore were noteworthy in their collective effort to train the men and women who fight fires locally. “John Martin, along with Charlie Rutherford and Tim Blakemore, taught the first Firefighter I classes, which were rotated between Atmore, Brewton and Bay Minette. I was in the first class that was taught in Escambia County, and all three of those men have been and will continue to be important to me.”
Peebles said firefighting has been his whole life and noted that the award with which he was presented was more special because it came from his peers.
“Probably the biggest honor is just to be a part of that group of people,” he said. “They help each other, and not just when there’s a fire. If one of the association members has some trouble, these folks are the first to jump in and help. In this day and time, that means more than anything else.”
Also honored at the meeting, which was held at Elim Baptist Church in the Roberts community, were:
*Volunteer Fire Chief Award — Alex Singleton, Appleton VFD
*Volunteer Male Firefighter Award — Jerrel Cain, Appleton VFD
*Volunteer Female Firefighter Award — Elisabeth Evans, Wallace VFD
*Volunteer Firefighter Rookie of the Year Award — Logan Blake, McCall VFD
*Volunteer Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Award — Melanie Jett, Appleton VFD
Presenting awards were District 92 State Rep. Matthew Hammett, District 66 State Rep. Alan Baker, and ECVFA President Joey Moffett.
