Honoring Those Who Serve Spring with Distinction
Spring Firefighters and Officers received multiple honors at the department’s annual awards banquet on November 4, 2023. “In our 70th year in service to Spring, these firefighters have done extraordinary things and deserve to be recognized,” said Spring Fire Chief Scott Seifert.
FIRE CHIEF’S AWARD – JASON ADAMS
The Spring Fire Chief’s Award is the Spring Fire Department’s penultimate honor. This award goes to an individual that has gone the extra mile to elevate the Spring Fire Department.
“This year the Spring Fire’s Chief’s award is going to a firefighter who has been instrumental in establishing our wildland firefighting team whose members deploy to wildfires as part of the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS),” said Chief Seifert. “Despite arduous deployments, Firefighter Jason Adams takes time to appear on local television to explain what our wildland team is doing and to provide pictures and video for social media.”
Pictured Above: Jason Adams (left) receiving his Fire Chief’s Award from Spring Fire Chief Scott Seifert.
When not saving lives and property, Adams mentors others to achieve their goals in field leadership. He also completed over 300 hours of specialized training to achieve USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) Specialist certification this year.
Pictured Above: Jason Adams on a TIFMAS deployment.
“Jason has also been instrumental in shaping C-Shift’s rescue team into an efficient and effective team for the betterment of the citizens of Spring,” added C-Shift Captain Josh Posey.
For his hard work, Adams also received proclamations from U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw and County Commissioner Tom Ramsey.
ADMINISTRATION COMMENDATION BARS
A heart for service is something that has been passed down since the first Spring volunteer firefighters began serving this community in 1953.
On Saturday District Chief of Volunteers Joel Crenshaw awarded Administration Commendation Bars to two volunteer firefighters.
Pictured Above: District Chief of Volunteers Joel Crenshaw presenting the Administration Commendation Bar to Firefighter Marc Corbeil.
Pictured Above: Firefighter Marc Corbeil (left) and Brian Powers (right) teaching forcible entry to new recruits in the bay of Station 77.
Chief Crenshaw presented this rare honor to longtime volunteers Marc Corbeil and Brian Powers for the “critical role” they both play in training volunteer recruits, mentoring and helping many volunteers make firefighting their career.
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION BARS
B-Shift’s first tour of 2023 saw two vastly different, difficult calls in one long day.
For acting in a highly commendable manner as they put safety first in a highly charged situation, two dozen Spring firefighters, along with Deputy Chief Scott Schoonover and B-Shift District Chief Chris vonWiesenthal, were honored with Meritorious Unit Commendation Bars.
“It was mid-afternoon January 5th when multiple crews were dispatched to assist law enforcement after an arson suspect barricaded himself inside his home,” said Chief vonWiesenthal. “This individual had begun setting fires and threatening to shoot anyone who attempted to enter the house.”
Deputy Chief Schoonover quickly worked to establish a unified command with law enforcement. As the suspect’s threats and behaviors forced the crews to make a strategic fire attack wearing ballistic vests and helmets, each crew was assigned a law enforcement officer to provide cover while they worked to protect neighboring homes.
Spring Fire crews kept the fire contained to the suspect’s home as law enforcement arrested the suspect.
Pictured Above: SWAT Standoff/Arson Fire that occurred on January 5, 2023.
Joining the deputy chief and district chief in receiving Meritorious Unit Commendation Bars were Captains Bryan Blackburn, Wade Lawrence, Timothy Weiman and Larry Wilkinson, Apparatus Operators Christopher Pedroza, Curtis Lawson and Kevin Wise, and Firefighters Joe Attaway, Colby Bates, Brandon Braswell, Samuel Dufford, Kyle Fisher, Thomas Greenan, Blake Hughes, Logan Hall, Mathieu Lafreniere, Philbert Lopez; Chaz Morris, Christopher Mouton, David Nettles, Colton Parr, Zane Stavinoha, Brandon Testut and Juan Villatoro.
Later that same evening, Spring Fire Ladder 75 and Harris County Emergency Services District 11 medics were dispatched to a Motor Vehicle Accident near FM 2920 and Kuykendahl.
“They arrived to find a critically injured, unconscious motorcyclist lying in the roadway,” said vonWiesenthal. “Working as a team, they assessed and loaded the patient while performing extensive emergency life saving measures.”
Spring Firefighter Thomas Carlton and an HCESD11 supervisor kept the critically injured man alive in route to the hospital. The man’s sister later tracked down Captain Bailey to tell him her brother’s hospital team said he was alive because they didn’t give up on him.
“After many surgeries, weeks in Intensive Care and physical therapy, Christopher and his family brought dinner to Station 75. Christopher was in a wheelchair then,” added vonWiesenthal. In late October Christopher walked through the Haunted Firehouse at Station 75 with his family. This is precisely the outcome Spring Firefighters strive for on every call.
Pictured above: Captain Jacob Bailey (left) presenting Christopher with a Spring Fire t-shirt when the injured motorcyclist’s family brought dinner to Station 75 on February 22, 2023.
For their life-saving efforts, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Bar was presented to Captain Jacob Bailey, recently promoted Captain Santiago Eckardt and Firefighters Thomas Carlton and Jason Wal.
The final Meritorious Unit Commendation Bars for 2023 were presented to the A-Shift crew of Spring Fire Engine 72 for saving the life of a young father on Palm Sunday. The 33-year-old Spring dad was at church when he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Engine 72 quickly arrived, and the crew immediately began providing CPR. “Church officials commented to the medics “how professionally our crew immediately took charge of patient care,” said A-Shift District Chief Kevin Wiseman. “Unless cardiac arrest happens in a hospital with a cardiac team present, the chance of survival can be counted on one hand with fingers to spare, but the paramedic on scene Palm Sunday credited Engine 72 A-Shift for saving this dad so he could walk out of hospital and be home with his family for Easter.”
Pictured above from left to right: Captain William Lara, Firefighters Abraham Arroyo, Cliff Moulton, and Thomas Moriarty with HCESD11 Paramedic Brian Piatowski who brought them travel mugs and challenge coins to celebrate a job well done.
For their exemplary life-saving efforts, Captain William Lara and Firefighters Abraham Arroyo, Thomas Moriarty and Cliff Moulton received Meritorious Unit Commendation Bars.
HONORING RETIRED FIRE CHIEFS
During the awards ceremony, the fire chief presented Retired Fire Chief Badges to two of his predecessors, Anthony Loscuito and Stephen Sharp. The chief thanked them for their many contributions to the Spring Fire Department, including mentoring him.
Pictured above: Spring Fire Chief Scott Seifert (left) presented Anthony Loscuito a Retired Fire Chief Badge.
Pictured above: Spring Fire Chief Scott Seifert (left) presented Stephen Sharp a Retired Fire Chief Badge.
FIREFIGHTERS OF THE YEAR HONORS
A-Shift – Thomas ‘T.J.’ Greenan
Firefighter Thomas ‘T.J.’ Greenan was honored as the A-Shift Firefighter of the Year for being a strong informal leader, mentor, territory expert and exceptional teacher.
Pictured Above: Firefighter Thomas “T.J.” Greenan (left) receiving his award from District Chief Kevin Wiseman.
“His captain says he is the tip of the sword, and his station could not operate to its full potential without him,” lauded Chief Wiseman. “T.J. has grown into one of our most reliable and exceptional members,” added Wiseman in presenting the award to the former volunteer who made Spring Fire his career in 2020.
B-Shift – Lucas Hale
Firefighter Lucas Hall is B-Shift Firefighter of Year Award because no matter the task, Hale is the ‘stand-up’ guy with a positive attitude ready to accomplish it.
Pictured Above: Spring Firefighter Lucas Hale
“It is very common for our profession to be loaded with Type-A personalities – the outgoing, dominant, humorous, opinionated leaders,” said Chief vonWiesenthal in presenting the award to Hale. Firefighter Hale is “a thirsty sponge for knowledge who is always ready to dive right in to start any effort, accomplish any goal, learn something new and lead whenever a situation warrants.”
That is what it is all about. Serving others, selflessly.
C-Shift – Jeremie Bricout
Jeremie Bricout was named as C-shift Firefighter of the Year because his chief says he is the epitome of what a senior firefighter should be.
Pictured above: Firefighter Jeremie Bricout (right) receiving his award from District Chief Jimmy Stewart.
“With an attitude and work ethic that are second to none, Firefighter Bricout exhibits true leadership during day-to-day station life and excels as a trusted problem solver in emergency situations,” said C-Shift District Chief Jimmy Stewart. “This is a quiet professional who doesn’t seek attention for the very important role that he plays as he consistently exceeds expectations.”
Firefighter Bricout is a credit to Spring and his home country of France.
Part-time – Jamie Maglalang
Jamie Maglalang was awarded the Part-time Firefighter of the Year award.
“Firefighter Jamie Maglalang comes to work every shift ready to do the job,” said Chief Stewart. “He adapts to whatever environment he’s placed in with a smile on his face and a get it done attitude.”
Pictured above: South Montgomery County Fire Chief Troy Koteras accepting the award for Firefighter Jaime Maglalang.
at the South Montgomery County Fire Department and brings that knowledge and experience to his shifts at Spring Fire.
Volunteer – Brian Powers
Volunteer Firefighter of the Year Brian Powers has served Spring over two different centuries. “He relishes saving lives and property, but his real calling is teaching new Spring volunteer recruits how to be Spring Firefighters,” said Chief Crenshaw. “To this firefighter it’s about service and mentoring, including mentoring me.”
Firefighter Powers is one of the lead instructors for our volunteer academies. His efforts have inspired many volunteers to make firefighting their career.
Pictured above: District Chief of Volunteers Joe Crenshaw with Firefighter Brian Powers Award.
“Every year it is an honor to recognize these public servants who go above and beyond to provide Spring residents with the best services possible,” said Seifert. “This team continues to make us proud.”