Queen Erin Morgan Drumheller and the rest of the the MD Fire Prevention Queens participated in the annual charity event. Prior to the Plunge the ladies set up a fire prevention display under the tent. Erin, a CVVFA member stayed out of the water this year but Melissa, last year's the MD Fire Chiefs Queen jumped right in. This dedicated group of young ladies raised just under $2500. The CVVFA contributed $100 to the effort. Erin who turned 21 this year is one of the CVVFA's most active young members. Be sure to click on the title of the this article to see all the photos.

Hancock MD Fire Company announced it would host the 2010 CVVFA Convention less than one day after Harrisburg PA advised the Association it was cancelling the event. The Convention dates remain the same. August 4-7, 2010. In an email to fellow CVVFA Officers Hancock’s Chief Greg Yost, CVVFA First Vice President invited the Association to hold the 109th Annual Convention. President Walter Robertson called Chief Yost and advised him “we graciously accept Hancock Fire Department’s invitation and thank them for stepping forward to host the convention at their hometown.” President Robertson quickly accepted the invitation in order to allow Hancock FD to begin planning the event. He praised Chief Yost for his leadership. “Greg provided real leadership in stepping up when the chips were down” he said. “Our members owe a debt of gratitude to the Hancock Fire Company”.

 
Normally CVVFA Conventions take at least one and often two years to plan. Hancock members will be very busy in the next several months dealing with a compressed time frame. Luckily Hancock hosted the 103th Convention in 2004 and knows how to host a great event. Check www.cvvfa.org regularly for updates and registration information. We will have it here as soon as arrangements are underway.

In an unprecedented move, the committee formed to host the 2010 CVVFA Convention cancelled the event in Harrisburg. With less than six months until the scheduled date the CVVFA is in a very difficult position with no alternative plan for the 109th Annual Convention.  The combined committee representing fire service interests in and around the city of Harrisburg PA voted to cancel.  The group had previously signed a contract agreeing to host the convention. Members of the CVVFA Convention Liaison Committee were present when the committee decided to cancel at February 3, 2010 meeting.

Earlier Harrisburg asked the McConnellsburg PA who originally requested the 2010 date to delay their convention to 2011. McConnellsburg graciously agreed to this change.
 
Text of the email follows:This is just to let you all know the CVVFA Convention 2010 Committee last night voted to cancel the convention for this year. Reasons cited but not limited to, were:
A complete unknown about any cooperation that the new city administration might give us.

• A last minute change from the set agenda and difficulty with parade
• A last minute change and difficulty with Thursday night picnic
• Lack of interest in fundraising
• Lack of involvement with the city's 2010 committee 

After weighing all the options and the current situation and a possible further deterioration by August, the members of the committee present voted to pull out of the convention.  Representatives of the CVVFA were present and understand our plight.
When I get a chance I'll finish the minutes and as soon as any outstanding finances are resolved the checkbook will be closed out.
 


 

Chief Lee C. Holler Past President of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (1999) died today Tuesday January 26, 2010 in Winchester Va. He served the CVVFA continuously for 60 years having joined in 1950. Holler was a highly respected Chief Fire Officer at the Regan National Airport in Washington DC prior to his retirement. He was a member of the Shawnee Fire Company of Winchester.

Services for Past President Holler are scheduled at 10:00 AM, Friday January 29th at the Shawnee Fire Company, 2210 Valor Drive Winchester, Virginia 22601. Phone 540-662-0855.
A reception at the station follows the service.  A precession route from Shawnee to the Clearbrook Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department will take place after the reception.
 
At Clearbrook a full military ceremony will be held and Lee's gear will be laid to rest at the station. Past President Holler has donated his remains to science.

Click on the title of this article for the Obituary.

New Year’s holiday telephone calls brought good news from three of CVVFA’s senior members Past President Harry Alt of Keyser WV, Chief Crawford Wiestling of Prior Lake MN,  and Chief Jack Peltier of Marlboro MA. All three men have been battling serious illnesses and all three are improving and look forward returning to their work with the CVVFA.
 
Harry expects to be in attendance at the Board of Directors Meeting. Jack who is still in rehabilitation following a serious illness over the last two months pledges to be in the Responder Safety booth at the FDIC in April in Indianapolis. Crawford who was under the weather during most of 2009 now is feeling much better. Following scheduled eye surgery later this month vows to be back helping with various CVVFA projects.
 
It is great to hear the optimism these members have about their improving health and their intention to see their fellow members again.
Click on the Camera Icon below to see Past President Alt's photo.
 

This is a bright kid but let's hope she doesn't learn how to blow this whistle anytime soon (unless mommy and daddy have earplugs). Jon Jones CVVFA's Educational Consultant holds granddaughter Evelyn while her mom gets her H1N1 shot at a clinic in Lunenburg MA. Evelyn's dad, Ken Jones is a career Lt. at LFD. Traffic control was set up in front of the clinic to handle the crowds.

The pacifier in question is the in fact the World's Loudest Whistle tested by the CVVFA Emergency Responder Safety Institute and available at the CVVFA Store (click on the tab on the left side of this page). We don't suggest it for your kids or grand-kids however it would make a great low cost gift for your favorite emergency responder.

Presidents Council Meeting Rescheduled to Saturday April 10, 2010 in Clayton Delaware.

 

The CVVFA Presidents Council will meet in Clayton Delaware on Saturday April 10. The meeting host is Delaware Volunteer Firefighters Association Kevin Wilson and the Clayton Fire Company. Kevin announced at convention there will be a social event for the Presidents on Friday evening April 9. More information will be forthcoming. Check www.cvvfa.org for updates.

 

Chief Larry Smallwood of Frederick County Virginia has died. Larry served as CVVFA President in 1977. Larry had a long career as a volunteer in Winchester and Frederick County at both South End Fire Company and Gore V.F.C. Chief Smallwood was a fixture at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmitsburg MD. Each year he was given the honor of leading the Color Guard Procession carrying a chief's trumpet filled with flowers. As a long time member of the CVVFA Larry held offices in the Association for many years making friends all over the mid Atlantic area. Chief Smallwood was an extremely active fireman in his younger years. He exemplified the best in the volunteer fire service. He will be missed by many and his memory will live on in the CVVFA an organization he loved. Arrangements are as follows:

Tuesday November 17th-Viewing at the Blue Ridge Grace Brethren Church from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9

Wednesday November 18th_ Funeral at the church 1 PM 

The church is off of  VA Route 37 at 1025 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester VA 540-667-9399
Memorials may be made to the following:
Gore Fire Company P.O. Box 146  Gore,VA 22637
South End Fire Co. 17 W Monmouth St, Winchester,VA 22601

Next year Harrisburg will celebrate 150 years as a City. As part of the Sesquicentennial celebration, the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum has joined with the Mt. Pleasant Fire and Rescue Co. No. 8, the Camp Curtin Fire Co. No. 13, the Riverside Fire Co. No. 15 and River Rescue to host the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association convention in August. This will be the first time the CVVFA Convention has been in Harrisburg since 1934. To help defray costs, the joint committee is offering a fantastic set of postcards commemorating 150 years of Harrisburg’s Firehouses. The set consists of 28 cards and shows every firehouse the various companies occupied since 1860, that a photograph exists. Familiar to post card collectors is a reprint of the fourteen companies originally taken in 1914. Also included in the set are the four active fire stations with the Bureau of Fire’s new apparatus. The remaining ten cards include several very rare views of early firehouses taken from the extensive Houseal Family Archives, now on permanent display at the Pa. National Fire Museum. This is Set No. 1. Future sets of fire related post cards are already in the planning stages. All 28 cards are in full color, wrapped and sealed in cellophane and offered at a very affordable price of $13.00 per set. The post cards are now available at the gift shop of the Pa. National Fire Museum (open Tuesday through Saturday, 10-4 and Sunday 1-4) for $13. Mail orders accepted please add $3 for shipping and handling. Mail check to:

 
Post Cards
Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. Fourth St.
Harrisburg, Pa. 17102
 
            Please make checks payable to: CVVFA Convention-2010
 
 
 

The CVVFA has updated our Past President and Convention Location List and made it available in a PDF download. This year the list appeared in the Convention Book and will become a regular feature there. We are proud of our Past Presidents as well as our convention host cities.

Readers who wish to refer to the list on line may now do so. Click on the title of this story to download or click on the Download tab on the left and find the list there.

If you do not get electronic communication from the CVVFA you are missing out on the latest information about your organization. Email allows us to reach you our members much faster than ever before. The Association sends important and timely updates on the CVVFA Express. To get your free email newsletter simply fill out the information in the newsletter box on the web page. Or you may advise us of a change/new email address or sign up initially by sending an email with your name, address, phone and email address to email@cvvfa.org . Don’t have email? If you have a computer with a connection to the internet the CVVFA will provide all our members a CVVFA email address at no charge. If you are not on line but have a family member  or friend who has a computer we can still help.  Contact Steve Austin for more details. Contact information may be found under the leadership tab on the www.cvvfa.org.

The world’s loudest safety whistle is now stocked at the CVVFA Store. Store Manager Bob Cumberland included the whistle in the store inventory after the CVVFA Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) field tested the whistle. The ERSI lists the use of a warning whistle during traffic control as a best practice. Want to know more about the world’s loudest whistle? A feature story on the Storm Whistle is in the works and will be published on www.respondersafety.com .  Get your whistle now by clicking on the store tab on the left side of www.cvvfa.org .

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the CVVFA has been awarded a competitive Firefighter Safety Grant of $94,200. Partnering with Fire Service Publications at Oklahoma State University the Association will produce an "Essentials Manual" for fire and ems personnel. The manual or training guide will incorporate the material in Chapter 6I of the 2009 Edition of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) due to be published later this year. Jack Sullivan the Director of Training of the CVVFA Emergency Responder Safety Institute is a member of the 6I committee and along with other content experts will contribute to the new training guide.

The MUTCD has increased in importance to emergency responders as the Federal Highway Administration the parent agency of the MUTCD continues to place more responsibility for the fire service to better manage traffic incidents. The CVVFA made the case that the fire service is very familiar with Fire Service Publications products having used them for many years in the training environment. It is perfect way to introduce new safety material to emergency responders.

This is the third year in a row that the CVVFA has received a competitive grant from the Fire Prevention and Safety program at FEMA.

Newark DE July 31, 2009. Walter N. Robertson of the Wilson VA Volunteer Fire Company was installed President of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemens Association during the 108th Annual Convention. Walter had previsouly served as Vice President representing the Commonwealth of Virginia. The President is a retired Juvenile Corrections Officer and a long time member of the Virginia fire service. He is a certified Emergency Vehicle Operators Course instructor. Walter has served on a number of committees of the Virginia State Firefighters Association. He is a regular feature in the Emergency Responder Safety Institute trade show booth interacting with firefighters and EMT's. "Walter has already shown his dedication to the CVVFA" said Jerry Daniels 2008 President. "He'll make a great leader of our Association" he added.

Newark DE July 30. 260 CVVFA Members registered for the 108th Annual Convention the largest crowd in recent history. It was clear the event would be a big one as 150 members arrived Wednesday evening for Meet Your Host Night. A large crowd attended Opening Ceremonies the following morning and a gathering of members and families spread out behind Fire Station 10 for a unique Lauau followed the business meeting Thursday. 16 members enrolled and passed the Public Safety Flagging Course Friday morning. The Aetna Ladies and a large crew of firemen worked in the kitchen preparing a full luncheon and a delicious banqet Friday night. A well attended Prayer Breakfast took place Saturday morning before the Convention Parade that stepped off at 12 noon. Aetna Hall was packed after the parade where the paraders ate and drank until after the parade prizes were awarded. It was a convention to remember.