SEAL ROCK — Seal Rock resident and former Seal Rock Rural Fire Protection District board member Larry Silverthorn was personally offended by what he called the fire district’s failure to acknowledge the years of service of three longtime volunteer firefighters who abruptly resigned in March.
“The board didn’t recognize their service,” Silverthorn told the News-Times. Citing decades of effort that demanded the men go out day and night, risking their lives to save the lives and property of others, he said, “If they’re not going to, I will.”
Determined to recognize Paul Highfill, Lyle Beard and Mike Burt for their service to the fire department and the Seal Rock community, Silverthorn contacted past Seal Rock fire chiefs Mark Jung and Rod Peterson, and previous members of the Seal Rock fire department’s board, Al Anton and Karl Kowalski, arranged a recognition dinner held in the community room at Bayshore earlier this month, attended by the firefighters and their wives.
Silverthorn purchased and presented awards, as well as sweatshirts and hats, as he commended and recognized Highfill for 33 years of service to the fire district, Beard for 28 years of service and Burt for 10 years as a volunteer firefighter with Seal Rock.
Recalling his first fire in Seal Rock, Highfill told the News-Times, “We went into the doggone fire and got the gentleman out and got him resuscitated.” Highfill and Jerry Howe received the Joe Maltom award for their actions. As an automotive shop owner, Highfill’s expertise was extracting people from cars, he related. Highfill said couldn’t begin to count the number of calls he responded to. “I’ve just always tried to help.”
Helping others was the common goal of the men. “I’m not the type that wants or needs praise, my satisfaction comes from helping those in need,” Burt told the News-Times.
Beard related that there was a grass fire at his house years ago. “I went and tried to control it until the fire department arrived. It just got me excited about doing something for my community,” he said. “I joined the fire department, and it was challenging, it was fun. It was rewarding to do things to help save property and lives.”
Silverthorn explained his determination to recognize the decades of service the volunteer firefighters gave their community. “I want the taxpayers to see a picture, and I want them to know what they did.” He added that it would be nice for anyone living in the Seal Rock community to thank these men for their service.
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October 30, 2020 at 08:17AM
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Longtime Seal Rock firefighters recognized - Newport News Times
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