Minutes of the March 15, 2008 meeting of
the Tampa Chapter SAR
President Bell called the
meeting to order at
Members present: Dick
Hurley, Marty Miller, Jack Bolen, Rod Stebbins, Alan
Bell, John Skillman, Robert Yarnell, and Kevin Yarnell.
Welcome
guests: June Bolen, Alana and Ernie Stebbins, Bob Vanek, and the New
Port Richey assistant chief.
The president introduced the
guests.
The minutes of the February
meeting were approved with a spelling correction by John Skillman.
The secretary read greetings
from Ed Neugaard. The ROTC meeting will be held next
month. The members are again asked to split up and sit with the cadets. As in
the past each member will be asked to pay for the lunch of the cadet at their
table. The treasury will handle any meal tickets remaining.
Members interested in
presenting awards at the local high schools are asked to speak to or email the
secretary to sign up.
Luke Lloyd has had
significant success with the poster contest that was brought up at the last
meeting. He expects to have at least 14 entries. Due to the large number Luke,
his wife, Jeanne, Jack and June Bolen will judge the posters and bring the
winners to the April meeting. Bob Yarnell will provide background on Molly
Pitcher to aid in the judging.
Jack Bolen moved that the
chapter pay for three trophies and engravings and prize money of $50, $35, $25
to the three winners. Bob Yarnell seconded the motion which passed without
descent. Kevin Yarnell will take the winning poster to the Spring state Board
of Management meeting for the state competition.
The Treasurer reported a
balance of $2526.43
Allen Bell reported that the
Color Guard will be looking at participating in a July 4th parade
either in Lutz or Brandon. We may ride rather than walk the route.
The meeting recessed for lunch.
Following lunch the
President reconvened the membership and introduced Vice President Bob Yarnell.
Bob in turn introduced our fire safety recipient Bob Vanek
and the assistant chief from the Fire Department in New Port Richey. Lt. Vanek addressed the membership and recounted the event for
which he was been honored.
Fireman Vanek
is a 13 year veteran of the New Port Richey fire department and has reached the
rank of Lt. Paramedic, His unit was called to a single story house fire. When
they arrived they found heavy smoke and fire coming from the kitchen window. On
entering the building Lt. Vanek heard a man yelling.
He found the man in a hallway. The fire prevented exit through the doors and so
Lt. Vanek took him to the bedroom and subsequently
out the window. This turned out to be quite a challenge as the man was 275
pounds and combative, not wanting to leave the house. The victim was probably
confused due to smoke inhalation. Other firefighters aided the victim from
outside the house. The rescue was successful and the man is doing well.
Interestingly, the man turned out to be a former fire fighter.
In the questions that
followed Lt. Vanek discussed how the fire service has
changed in resent years. Fire trucks now participate in medical runs as well as
calls to fires. Roughly 80% of the calls responded to by a fire unit are
medical and 20% are fire.
President Bell then
presented the Fire Safety award to Lt. Vanek.
John Skillman won the 50/50
drawing. The treasury was thus enriched by $11.00.
President Bell led the
recessional. Jack Bolen gave the benediction. The meeting adjourned at
Respectfully submitted,
Kevin Yarnell
Chapter Secretary