Fire Department to Host ‘Great Training’ Seminar to Benefit Rick Garrison

For 26-years, Rick Garrison has been a dedicated member of the Wallingford Fire Department, never hesitating to put himself in harms way in order to help others. Now members of the department are working to help him as he battles cancer.

The department will host a special fire service seminar this Saturday, Oct. 13, featuring two renowned fire service authors as part of an effort to support Garrison, Fire Capt. Jim Duffy said. All proceeds will go towards a special fund for Garrison.

“It may not seem like much, but it’s a way for us to help a man who has been a great friend and a dedicated member of the department,” said Fire Capt. Jim Duffy. 

Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.

Garrison first fell ill in 2009, when doctors diagnosed him colorectal cancer. He has battled back since but continues to fight the disease, firefighters said.

“Great Training for a Great Cause” is the latest in a series of fundraisers the department has held to raise money for its ailing brother. It will feature authors Anthony Avillo, deputy chief of North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, and New York Fire Department Battalion Chief John Salka.

Duffy said the seminar would provide training for firefighters throughout the region.

“This will bring two of the leading fire service authors and speakers together at one venue. It benefits firefighters and truly is a win-win for everyone,” he said.

The following schedule was released for the training, which will begin with the first training course at 9 a.m.:

9 a.m.: Chief Anthony Avillo will be presenting “Officer Development: Preparing for the Hard Environment” He will challenge officers and prospective officers in regard to their preparation, attitude, approach, and operational and organizational skill both in the hard environment (on the fireground) and in the soft environment (the areas and time when you are preparing yourself for the fireground).

12 p.m.: Lunch and Raffles including Fire Engineering Books & Videos, I-pods, a premium barbeque and more.

1 p.m.: Chief John Salka is presenting his popular “Fireground Responsibility” This program takes a serious look at several recent firefighter fatalities and theindividual factors that contributed to the tragic outcome. It also discusses the actions we can take to prevent these events from reoccurring.

Tickets are $30, which includes the lunch. The event will be hels at Lyman Hall High School.

For more details, contact Jim Duffy at Shift1Commander@comcast.net or by phone at (860) 558-7881. Purchase tickets from any of our members or register by sending e-mail to rcolangelo@sbcglobal.net. Pre-registration is encouraged not required.

Make sure to like Wallingford Patch on Facebook and be sure to follow us on Twitter for the latest stories, breaking news and more!