BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce honored local emergency personnel Sept. 10 during its annual First Responder Appreciation Dinner at the John F. Rhodes Civic Center, recognizing three firefighters as its North Baldwin First Responders of the Year.
The event, held from 5 to 6:30 p.m., brought together members of the business community and local emergency services to recognize the men and women who serve and protect North Baldwin, according to a news release.
“On behalf of the Chamber, it is an honor to provide an opportunity to give back to those who sacrifice so much in service to our community,” said Kristina Pittman, executive director of the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce.
Three Honorees Instead of One
The North Baldwin First Responder of the Year Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional service, leadership, courage and dedication to the community. This year’s nominations presented the selection committee with a particularly difficult decision.
After reviewing the nomination letters, the committee determined all three nominees demonstrated the highest standards of public service. Because of the quality of the nominations and the significant impact each nominee has made in the community, the Chamber chose to recognize all three.
Caleb Powell
Firefighter Caleb Powell, a training captain with the Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department and an employee of North Baldwin Utilities, was recognized for his work to strengthen safety in the workplace and throughout the community.
Powell has applied his firefighting experience to workplace and public safety initiatives, including playing a key role in developing and implementing a Narcan program at North Baldwin Utilities designed to help prevent accidental exposure-related overdoses. He also has helped prepare local emergency personnel for potential natural gas-related incidents through education and training.
Both of those contributions address risks specific to his workplace and worth understanding. Utility field crews can encounter unknown substances during service calls, and accidental exposure is a documented occupational hazard; having naloxone available and personnel trained to use it addresses a low-probability, high-consequence scenario.
Natural gas incident training matters for a related reason. Responding to a gas leak or gas-fed fire requires knowledge that differs from standard fire response, and in a community served by volunteer departments, that training generally has to come from someone locally who has it.
The Volunteer Fire Service
The recognition of firefighters from volunteer departments reflects how emergency response actually works across most of North Baldwin County and rural Alabama generally.
Volunteer firefighters complete the same core certification requirements as career personnel, train on their own time, and respond from homes and workplaces rather than from a staffed station. A training captain in a volunteer department — the role Powell holds at Crossroads — carries responsibility for keeping an entire department’s skills current, largely on evenings and weekends.
The Dinner
The evening included a meal provided by Mudbug Mafia, a special awards presentation and a dessert table featuring more than 100 donated desserts from individuals and organizations. The dessert table was organized by a Bay Minette resident.
Numerous volunteers from the business community also gave their time to serve dinner to local first responders.
The detail of business community members serving the meal themselves, rather than catering it and standing aside, is the kind of thing that distinguishes an appreciation event from a banquet. More than 100 donated desserts from individuals suggests the effort extended well past the chamber’s membership list.
About the Chamber
The North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce serves the Bay Minette area and northern Baldwin County. The First Responder Appreciation Dinner is an annual event.