It’s been a month, and people are still talking about the Comedy Show. It was such a success we’re making plans for a similar show next year.

Our annual meeting and potluck supper was attended by many Fire Department members and supporters. Before the supper, awards were given to the following Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue personnel: Michael MacFarland, Outstanding Service; Roger Pelton, Outstanding Service and ten years of service; Jason Beckler, Outstanding Service; John Rice, five years of service; Bruce Dunn, ten years of service; Jed Dunn, fifteen years of service; June Leighton, thirty-five years of service; Michael McIver, Firefighter of the year award. Personnel who attended the ongoing Firefighter I and II classes were also recognized: Joseph Legendre, Joseph Lemieux III, Ronald Lockwood, and Junior Firefighter Christina Greenleaf. Rescue Awards: Deborah Byrnes, ten years’ service; and Peter Byrnes, seventeen years’ service. Join with me in congratulating these individuals. Their commitment to our community is very much appreciated.

Fire Department Officers were elected recently, and they are as follows: Chief, Dana Dunn; Deputy Chief, Lee Dunn; Assistant Chief, Tony Dunn; Battalion Chief and Training Officer, Jason Beckler; Safety Officer and Staff Officer, June Leighton; Lt. 51, Jed Dunn; Lt. 52, Communications Officer, and Training, Roger Pelton; Lt. 53, and Training, Joseph Lemieux; Lt. 54, Michael McIver; Lt. 55, Ronald Lockwood; Lt. 56, Roger Scott; Personnel Officer, Fire Prevention, and Station Coordinator, Michael MacFarland; Junior Firefighter Coordinator, Jason Beckler; Assistant Junior Firefighter Coordinator, Christina Greenleaf.

Roger Pelton and Jason Beckler have worked on several grant applications lately. Their efforts mean we have received a grant from Maine Forestry Service to purchase Class A foam, a skid pack for the four wheeler and personal protective equipment such as helmets, goggles, shirts and gloves.

We have just submitted the Spring Maine Municipal Association’s safety grant request. In this grant we are seeking to improve the quality of the lighting that we use as individual firefighters and overall scene lighting. The lighting will help us provide a safer work area for our Firefighters while working nighttime incidents.

We are currently working on an Assistance to Firefighters Grant, which is funded by FEMA. With this grant we would like to establish a community based Fire Prevention program. This program has typically been children oriented in the past, our focus is to make this a whole-community focus and the grant will allow us to do that. The grant will also help protect firefighters by replacing outdated turnout gear, plus an update and expansion of our computer network system. An updated system will help us stay current with new standards and requirements, since a lot of regulatory information and training is available online, and stay compliant with the National Incident Database.

The Fire boat has been replaced by a newer one obtained through the State’s Surplus Property Division, and the Wayne Fire Department has purchased our former boat for $2,000. This money will be put towards the cost of the replacement boat. The rest of the boat’s cost, $3,100 was donated by the Mount Vernon Fire Company, in recognition of the boat’s critical role in water rescue activities.


Chief Dana Dunn