Firefighters recognize Corliss, raise money
The Red Oak Fire Department recognized one of its own during its annual open house and pancake feed on Sunday.
The event is held in conjunction with the 36th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. It gives Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce a chance to honor the men and women making up the department’s first responders.
“They make miracles happen, and they take very good care of this city, and us. As a chief, I could not ask for a higher caliber class of firefighters and EMS. These are outstanding individuals,” Bruce said.
Firefighter Jim Corliss received special recognition for 20 years of service, and in total, Corliss has served for 23 years with the department. Corliss described one of the more interesting emergency calls during his years within the department.
“We were called to the Viking Lake area for a pregnant woman in labor. It was the woman’s fourth or fifth child, and she knew the baby was coming quickly. We tried to make it to Red Oak before the baby was delivered. We didn’t make it in time, but thankfully, we were able to deliver a healthy baby boy that day,” said Corliss.
Mark McNees, past president of the Iowa Firefighter’s Association, also honored Corliss for his service, and commented on the risks Corliss and other first responders take each and every day.
“Last year, 75 firefighters suffered line-of-duty deaths. When we give out awards like these, we need to keep in mind that when the pager goes off, and they go out, they go out knowing they might not come back. You just never know what will happen when you go out on a call. We don’t like to think about it, but it is a risk first responders take for the community,” McNees said.
The pancake feed also served as a fundraiser for the department. Bruce offered special praise for the community’s support.
“The community supplies the funding for this equipment to keep it going down the road, you supply thank yous, phone calls, the food. To have a community that takes care of us the way Red Oak and the surrounding area does is very special and very unique to here, and we’re very blessed to have the support,” said Bruce.
Red Oak Mayor Bill Billings praised the department, saying if anything happened, some of the first faces he wanted to see were Red Oak’s first responders.
“They’re the ones who are going to make things happen and determine what the outcome is all about. I want to thank you for all you do. I work in the medical field, and I see these guys in Omaha and Council Bluffs. What I hear resoundingly in the emergencgy departments is how good they are at what they do, and the condition the patients are in when they get to those hospitals. We rely on our first responders more than we give them credit for in our daily lives,” Billings commented.
Money raised from the pancake feed will go towards the purchase of a LUCAS 3 device, which assists paramedics in the treatment of patients undergoing a cardiac event.