CCVFA 96th Annual Convention Meeting and Awards Ceremony Stuyvesant Falls 07/30/21
The 96th Annual Convention of the Columbia County Volunteer Firefighters Association was held on July 30, 2021 at the Stuyvesant Falls VFW. Host company was the Stuyvesant Falls Fire Company with CCVFA President Tim Trowbridge.
The meeting was called to order by Stuyvesant Falls Chief and Chairman Edward Roosa.
The invocation was by Chaplin Daniel Herrick.
Richard Frick, a 62 year life member of the Stuyvesant Falls Fire Company led the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr Frick was also the Grand Marshall of the parade held on Saturday.
The meeting was then led by President Trowbridge.
50+ year members were recognized.
The Memorial Service was led by Chaplin Herrick. The Fire Company members that passed over the past two years were read and remembered.
The Firefighter of the Year / Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented by the Awards Committee Chairman Eric Barnes. His comments are posted below.
County Chaplin Herrick ended the meeting with the benediction.
The meeting was called to order by Stuyvesant Falls Chief and Chairman Edward Roosa.
The invocation was by Chaplin Daniel Herrick.
Richard Frick, a 62 year life member of the Stuyvesant Falls Fire Company led the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr Frick was also the Grand Marshall of the parade held on Saturday.
The meeting was then led by President Trowbridge.
50+ year members were recognized.
The Memorial Service was led by Chaplin Herrick. The Fire Company members that passed over the past two years were read and remembered.
The Firefighter of the Year / Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented by the Awards Committee Chairman Eric Barnes. His comments are posted below.
County Chaplin Herrick ended the meeting with the benediction.
The 2020 Columbia County Volunteer Firefighters Association
Lifetime Firefighter Achievement Award was presented to:
Chief William ‘Bill’ Blaauw
Chief Blaauw was nominated by the Philmont Fire Company. He is a life member of the Philmont fire company after having joined in 1963. During his lifelong service to the community, in 1987 he took on a roll as Director of the CCVFA culminating with serving as President in 1996. After his term of president, he carried on the tradition of the Philmont Fire Company remaining active in the CCVFA.
Past President Blaauw’s service to this County and Community started well before he was a member of this great association. When Bill became a firefighter in 1963, he lived on and operated a dairy farm near the Village of Philmont. Shortly after joining, he and another member worked diligently to secure fire contracts with the Towns of Claverack and Hillsdale in order to ensure fire protection for the residents outside of the village and in turn secure financing for the village.
It is noted that during Bills tenure he played a large part in two major changes in the fire service. During his presidency he is credited with pushing a proposal to change the name of this fire association from the “Columbia County Fireman’s Association” to the ‘Firefighters Association’ to ensure inclusion of all! As a member of his own company, Bill is credited with playing a large part in the creation and support of the LOSAP program for all members in the Town of Claverack.
Although, I never had the pleasure of taking part, I am told Bill’s Convention ‘Tailgate’ hospitality parties he held for over 20 years at the convention were the go-to event for many!!
Past President Blaauw’s list of accomplishments and services to the community far exceed the time I have here tonight. Beyond his dedication to the firefighters in this community, Bill is a Mentor, Father and leader to his family and many more in the greater Columbia County.
Chief Blaauw, the CCVFA and this committee commend you, for your decades of service and dedication to not only the Philmont Fire Company, but to the entire fire service in Columbia County.
Lifetime Firefighter Achievement Award was presented to:
Chief William ‘Bill’ Blaauw
Chief Blaauw was nominated by the Philmont Fire Company. He is a life member of the Philmont fire company after having joined in 1963. During his lifelong service to the community, in 1987 he took on a roll as Director of the CCVFA culminating with serving as President in 1996. After his term of president, he carried on the tradition of the Philmont Fire Company remaining active in the CCVFA.
Past President Blaauw’s service to this County and Community started well before he was a member of this great association. When Bill became a firefighter in 1963, he lived on and operated a dairy farm near the Village of Philmont. Shortly after joining, he and another member worked diligently to secure fire contracts with the Towns of Claverack and Hillsdale in order to ensure fire protection for the residents outside of the village and in turn secure financing for the village.
It is noted that during Bills tenure he played a large part in two major changes in the fire service. During his presidency he is credited with pushing a proposal to change the name of this fire association from the “Columbia County Fireman’s Association” to the ‘Firefighters Association’ to ensure inclusion of all! As a member of his own company, Bill is credited with playing a large part in the creation and support of the LOSAP program for all members in the Town of Claverack.
Although, I never had the pleasure of taking part, I am told Bill’s Convention ‘Tailgate’ hospitality parties he held for over 20 years at the convention were the go-to event for many!!
Past President Blaauw’s list of accomplishments and services to the community far exceed the time I have here tonight. Beyond his dedication to the firefighters in this community, Bill is a Mentor, Father and leader to his family and many more in the greater Columbia County.
Chief Blaauw, the CCVFA and this committee commend you, for your decades of service and dedication to not only the Philmont Fire Company, but to the entire fire service in Columbia County.
The 2020 Columbia County Volunteer Firefighters Association
Lifetime Firefighter Achievement Award was presented to:
Chief Randi W. Shadic
It is a tremendous honor to stand here before you and be able to present this award. Not only is Randi a role model, I’m proud to be able to call him a true friend. Chief Shadic meets the qualifications for the Lifetime Achievement Award to a ‘T’.
In the words of a good friend “If you know Randi he is not big on individual awards and more often favors the recognition of groups or teams of fire Fighters and recognizing them as such.
As a chief Officer Randi never takes any of the credit for a successful operation but rather directs that to the Line Officers and the line Firefighters. He will on the other hand take full responsibility for any screw ups believing hole heartily if he had just provided better training to the members the screw ups would never happen.”
No truer words can be spoken of a true leader!
Randi, has a body of work in the fire and public service which is unlike many others. His assiduous service continues to this day.
Randi joined the fire service in July 1975. Like all other great leaders in our ‘club’ he quickly rose through the ranks to eventually becoming Chief for the first time in 1986. This tremendous career took him in and out of the Chief position a total of 4 terms. For those that do not remember Randi was CC Deputy Coordinator from 1985 to 1988 when he then took his vast knowledge to share with the rest of the state. In 1988 Randi began his career with the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, spreading his wealth of knowledge throughout the state. Working hard and being a leader, Randi rose through the ranks becoming NYS Deputy Chief of the Arson Bureau in 2001, where he remained for 15 years.
When I began to prepare to write this speech, as I do every year, I did some research and asked various people for assistance and insight. The Copake Fire Company thought it was fitting to supply the committee with a packet that included ‘some of’ Randi’s training certificates. If obtaining and possessing training certificates is a metric to use in weighing how involved a firefighter is, there are very few that hold a candle to Randi. So, grab a coffee and settle in, I think it’s just fitting for me to read ‘some of ‘ Randi’s several hundred………
- First, March 1993 Randi Shadic completed – Fire Investigation Unit Management training……
Let me stop right there!!!! For anyone that knows that unit like I do….. Randi you should have taken the follow up courses. That unit was off the rails for years!!
In all honesty, like everything you were involved in over the years, that unit, was the upmost professional and knowledgeable group. This is not unlike, the Copake fire company or you personally. Your demeanor and leadership are reflected within any agency you have been involved in over the years.
I can speak personally to the years of guidance and leadership provided by Randi. About 20 years ago when I arrived to the area, I met Randi at some point at a fire. As a newer Trooper with a background in Arson Investigation, I was attracted to Randi like a moth to a light. Over the years, I have learned that Randi had this effect on many members of the fire service. His knowledge and moreover, willingness to pass this knowledge on to others is unlike many.
Chief Shadic has served in various roles in the fire service over the years, including firefighter, Captain, Chief of Copake, NYS OFPC Fire Protection Specialist, Investigator and Deputy Chief along with many others. Most importantly he continues to serve as a role model to all firefighters and leaders throughout our communities.
To this day, he continues to selflessly serve as a seasoned veteran and leader. After all of these years, Randi continues to hold the rank of Assistant Chief for Copake.
We are deeply indebted to Chief Shadic, for his dedication and service to the Copake Fire Company, Town of Copake, Battalion 3, the greater Columbia County area as a whole and to the entire State of New York.
The 2021 Columbia County Volunteer Firefighters Association
Inaugural Lifetime Firefighter Achievement Award was presented to:
Chief William ‘Bill’ Hunt
There are very few men tougher than Bill…….. The words spoken by so many.
Over the past 15 years or so, I have had the tremendous honor of getting to know and learn from Bill myself. When Bill was nominated for this award, ‘merely a procedural formality’, as in my eyes, he is the Mickey Mantle to the fire service in Columbia County, and was a shoe in for the Hall of Fame, I began to construct this speech. Its taken several weeks, to get the words just right!
The feedback and input from other powerhouse leaders in the County are a testament to just how big of a figure Bill is. The most common and spoke about attribute is:……Toughness!
Toughness is defined as “the state of being strong enough to withstand adverse conditions or rough handling” or “the ability to deal with hardship or to cope in difficult situations”
Many remember how tough Bill was when they remember the night he nearly left us, he was resuscitated several times, only to return stronger and better. Others remember the time he fell through a barn floor in Stuyvesant and landed in a creek, or the number of times that the late Jim Vanduessen had to either take Bill to the ER or pick him up to drive him home……Only to answer more alarms.
I highlight these events only to demonstrate Bills strength and tenacity to continue to serve his community!
Chief William Hunt universally and affectionately known as "Bill" has an unparalleled body of work in the fire service which began on June 27, 1973 when he joined Ancram Fire Company. His indefatigable service continues to this day. Bill first became Fire Chief in March of 1984. Six years later, Bill began his tenure are Deputy Fire Coordinator and ultimately Columbia County Fire Coordinator.
Coordinator: Merriam Webster defines it as: a person whose job is to organize events or activities and to negotiate with others in order to ensure they work together effectively.
Bill was a fire coordinator for 3 decades. In those 30 years, Bill, in his own tough, gruff fashion passionately and effectively coordinate hundreds of serious incidents. Bill is responsible for and credited with helping start the Columbia County C&O team. As a founding member, he recognized that the county was in need of a specialized highly trained team of investigators, that specifically worked with the fire service and the law enforcement agencies in the county in order to thwart out the crime of arson.
As a young investigator to the area some 15 years ago, I fondly remember one of the first fires I was introduced to Bill. Without getting into the details on how that first interaction went……..I believe many will say the same thing…………………..If you don’t know Bill, he may come off a little gruff, but that’s just a façade to hide the tremendous amount of intelligence and dedication to the craft he had, that is matched by very few!!
We have all come to know Bill and learn he is one of the most caring and helpful members of our beloved fire service there ever was.
He has never shied away from work; his body of collective work speaks volumes in that regard. He has let his actions be the measure of his accomplishments
So in terms of a metric to measure a man's worth, we believe Bill has checked all the boxes and most assuredly has become the standard by which others should be judged, in overall service to his family, his Fire Department, and community. By anyone's metric, Bill’s life work has been an exemplar of how one should walk through life; selflessly giving the vast majority of life serving the needs of others, while sacrificing his own.
To this day, he continues to selflessly serve as a seasoned veteran who is a master teacher and friend to all, no matter your station or rank. He has an arm’s length resume dedicated exclusively to the fire service in addition to all his civic achievements, which in the interest of time, we will omit.
The 2021 Columbia County Volunteer Firefighters Association
Inaugural Lifetime Firefighter Achievement Award was presented to:
Chief William ‘Bill’ Hunt
There are very few men tougher than Bill…….. The words spoken by so many.
Over the past 15 years or so, I have had the tremendous honor of getting to know and learn from Bill myself. When Bill was nominated for this award, ‘merely a procedural formality’, as in my eyes, he is the Mickey Mantle to the fire service in Columbia County, and was a shoe in for the Hall of Fame, I began to construct this speech. Its taken several weeks, to get the words just right!
The feedback and input from other powerhouse leaders in the County are a testament to just how big of a figure Bill is. The most common and spoke about attribute is:……Toughness!
Toughness is defined as “the state of being strong enough to withstand adverse conditions or rough handling” or “the ability to deal with hardship or to cope in difficult situations”
Many remember how tough Bill was when they remember the night he nearly left us, he was resuscitated several times, only to return stronger and better. Others remember the time he fell through a barn floor in Stuyvesant and landed in a creek, or the number of times that the late Jim Vanduessen had to either take Bill to the ER or pick him up to drive him home……Only to answer more alarms.
I highlight these events only to demonstrate Bills strength and tenacity to continue to serve his community!
Chief William Hunt universally and affectionately known as "Bill" has an unparalleled body of work in the fire service which began on June 27, 1973 when he joined Ancram Fire Company. His indefatigable service continues to this day. Bill first became Fire Chief in March of 1984. Six years later, Bill began his tenure are Deputy Fire Coordinator and ultimately Columbia County Fire Coordinator.
Coordinator: Merriam Webster defines it as: a person whose job is to organize events or activities and to negotiate with others in order to ensure they work together effectively.
Bill was a fire coordinator for 3 decades. In those 30 years, Bill, in his own tough, gruff fashion passionately and effectively coordinate hundreds of serious incidents. Bill is responsible for and credited with helping start the Columbia County C&O team. As a founding member, he recognized that the county was in need of a specialized highly trained team of investigators, that specifically worked with the fire service and the law enforcement agencies in the county in order to thwart out the crime of arson.
As a young investigator to the area some 15 years ago, I fondly remember one of the first fires I was introduced to Bill. Without getting into the details on how that first interaction went……..I believe many will say the same thing…………………..If you don’t know Bill, he may come off a little gruff, but that’s just a façade to hide the tremendous amount of intelligence and dedication to the craft he had, that is matched by very few!!
We have all come to know Bill and learn he is one of the most caring and helpful members of our beloved fire service there ever was.
He has never shied away from work; his body of collective work speaks volumes in that regard. He has let his actions be the measure of his accomplishments
So in terms of a metric to measure a man's worth, we believe Bill has checked all the boxes and most assuredly has become the standard by which others should be judged, in overall service to his family, his Fire Department, and community. By anyone's metric, Bill’s life work has been an exemplar of how one should walk through life; selflessly giving the vast majority of life serving the needs of others, while sacrificing his own.
To this day, he continues to selflessly serve as a seasoned veteran who is a master teacher and friend to all, no matter your station or rank. He has an arm’s length resume dedicated exclusively to the fire service in addition to all his civic achievements, which in the interest of time, we will omit.
Photos by Richard E. Lindmark