Two hundred and fifty Peachtree City Fire Rescue personnel and guests gathered Jan. 23 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the department.
The event was hosted at the Grand Ballroom of the Aberdeen Woods Conference Center. Guests included Peachtree City officials, Fayetteville and Fayette County Fire Chiefs, PCFR Life Members, and four founding members of the Peachtree City Volunteer Fire Department.
The celebration and dinner was hosted by Chief Joe O’Conor, who gave the attendees a review of department activities during 2015. The chief presented founding members J.H. “Chip” Conner, Melvin Brown, Al Hogg, and Wendell Waggoner with commemorative plaques. Also in attendance were more than 20 life members of the department, including retired Chief Stony Lohr, Assistant Chief Don Colburn, and Rescue Captains Sallie Satterthwaite and John Weber.
Members of the Peachtree City Volunteer Firefighters Association Board of Directors were sworn in for the 2016 term of office: President Tina Bates; Vice President Gary Half; Treasurer Cindi Witt; Secretary Andy Hinesley; EMS Representative Blake Wilhoit; Fire Representative Mike Peckett, and Career Representative John Bruschetti.
A total of 20 career and volunteer members were presented with annual department awards including:
Jim Keil – Volunteer Firefighter of the Year
Michael Dingler – Volunteer EMS Provider of the Year
Philip Stusak – Career Firefighter of the Year
Joshua White – Career EMS Provider of the Year
Tina Bates – Volunteer Officer of the Year
Lt. Chad Matheny – Career Officer of the Year
Tommy Heard – Part Time Firefighter of the Year
Jonathan Wambles – Volunteer Rookie Firefighter of the Year
Simon Worley – Explorer of the Year
Robbie Shelton – Rotary Member of the Year
Jeff Koldoff (Retired Battalion Chief) – Servant’s Heart Award (presented by 1-800-Boardup)
Volunteer Length of Service Awards were given to Kenny Bramlett (five years), Mat Dudka (five years), Less Dyer (10 years), Karen Corsetti (10 years) and Battalion Chief Don Davison (25 years).
