Speech and Testimony
County Executive Leggett’s Remarks at the MCFRS Annual Promotion Ceremony
National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg
As prepared
Good afternoon!
Please let me begin by starting with a moment of silence for our recently fallen hero Burtonsville Volunteer Firefighting Department’s Firefighter Charles “Rick” Gentilcore who answered his last alarm April 7th.
The BVFD serves my neighborhood, so this loss is figuratively and literally close to home for me.
Rick joined the BVFD on March 7, 1994 and achieved the rank of Firefighter III. He was very active for many years. Rick was a Top Responder in the year 2000, responding to more than 300 calls.
I would like to say how honored I am to be here as your County Executive and to convey my appreciation to every single member of the Fire & Rescue Service for the work you do.
Also, thank you to those family members who support Montgomery County's bravest. Let’s give them all a round of applause!
The men and women of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service respond to about 120,000 calls each year – almost all of which (medical incidents, accidents, rescues and fires) rarely make headlines or end up being nominated for awards.
But I want you to know that your efforts on these unheralded incidents are no less important to our citizens than the more celebrated ones we hear on the news.
Every emergency medical technician who responds to a sick patient; every firefighter who protects a family's home by putting out a chimney fire or kitchen fire is a hero to someone.
On behalf of the people of a grateful Montgomery County, I offer a sincere "Thank you!"
Today, we congratulate career members who successfully have achieved the milestone of promotion.
All of us, regardless of our vocation or walk of life, face risks. Many of these risks we take knowingly, often after a lengthy consideration of the pros and cons. The 40 promotional candidates and those of you we honor today have taken this kind of risk.
The safest course almost always mandates maintaining the status quo. These people have chosen the more difficult route; and when we aspire to greater challenges and responsibility we may reap rewards – such as the satisfaction of saving or otherwise impacting the life of another - but the reality is that we also acknowledge the risk of failure.
So, we pledge to work harder, learn more, be better, and dedicate ourselves even fully to the job. I know that you, the promotional candidates, have done exactly this; and we are proud to be here to honor you this day. Congratulations to all of you for being willing to take on the risks that come with striving to be better public servants!
Of note, I especially want to recognize and congratulate –
Division Chief John Kinsley;
Assistant Chief Dorcus 'Dee" Howard-Richards;
and Battalion Chief Amy Vanderryn
- who collectively have achieved the rank of division chief, assistant chief and battalion chief - the Fire/Rescue Department's second, third and fourth-highest rank respectively.
Although Division Chief Diane Zuspan blazed the trail for women, Assistant Chief Howard-Richards has become the Department's first African American woman assistant chief.
So today we mark another milestone as she becomes the highest-ranking African American woman ever in Montgomery County's public safety.
To be clear: You all are being promoted for what you have done, but you are also being promoted for our belief that you all can do more.
It is the belief that you can, in fact, take the responsibilities that you are now going to assume and continue to use them in the right way, continue to serve as role models, and continue to serve as an inspiration for all those who see you.
It is a significant responsibility. You've earned it, but now you have to keep earning it, each and every day.
I thank you; I congratulate you; and I offer my best wishes to you and your families. Please be safe!
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Release ID: 17-024
April 13, 2 p.m.