BUCKHANNON — For the the first time in its history, the Buckhannon Fire Department celebrated a volunteer member achieving the rank of captain — BVFD Capt. Glen Davis.
“We’re here again tonight for another organizational first,” Kimble said at Buckhannon City Council’s meeting Thursday. “As we go through our accreditation process, we’re finding some faults in our organization and we’re trying to correct those.”
Kimble said in the past, rank had been determined by years of service. However, times have changed over the course of Kimble’s 30 years at the BFD.
“But as we went on through [the Fire Civil Service Commission], for the career staff, there’s a testing policy; there’s classes you’re required to have to attain other ranks, so we’re mirroring that into our volunteer ranks also,” he said. “So, no matter what the call is, that person is a captain with the same abilities, whether you’re career or volunteer.
“So tonight is a first because Capt. Glen Davis was the first one to take the Civil Service Exam and meet all those requirements, and tonight we’re going to pin him to the rank of captain. He was a lieutenant.”
Kimble called on Davis’s wife, Dr. Kim Farry, to pin him.
The chief said Davis has been volunteering with the department for 20-plus years and has expertise in multiple areas.
“He’s a mentor to all,” Kimble said. “He’s a HAZMAT tech, he’s a scuba diver, he’s a Firefighter 1 and 2-certified firefighter, he’s Fire Officer 1 and 2-certified. He is a safety officer, and he is very knowledgeable. The thing that everybody will say about Glen Davis is, he’s one of the safest firefighters we have, and I’m very proud of him.”