For Candy Hilgenberg the fire department is a family affair. “I come from a long line of volunteer and career firefighters as well as ladies auxiliary members. My husband and I met at the firehouse. My sister Wendy is also a riding member and my mother-in-law Rhonda is an administrative member. My oldest niece Samantha started out with our cadet program and moved up to junior member,” Hilgenberg said. She has been a member for 16 years but said she feels like it’s been her entire life. When asked why she wanted to go into fire service she responded, “I was raised to help people, to be of …
At age 15, Alyson Lombardo didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do when she grew up; only that she enjoyed helping people. The South River High School graduate joined the AVFD and quickly found a calling in life. “Enrolling in the EMT program was initially to gain personal experience; however through real life experiences and the realization of the importance of community service, I became more involved with helping others,” said the former National Honor Society student. Lombardo then went on to dedicate several hundred hours to serving the fire department. “After being an EMT for a …
When Brett McAllister volunteers he sticks out like a sore thumb. Unlike his patients he is not wearing a kilt or steal plated armor. Instead he is wearing a crisp blue uniform shirt from the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department. McAllister is one of the many firefighters and EMTs who volunteer their time at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The Anne Arundel County Volunteer Fire Fighter’s Association coordinates volunteer coverage at the 30-year old event. The Festival has become the region's premier outdoor events and the second largest Renaissance Festival in the country. With more than 600 …
Although Mark Holiday lives in Davidsonville he doesn’t spend much time there. During the day he is in Prince George's County working for the P.G. County Public School system. At night, weekends and holidays he can be found in Edgewater. That’s where he is usually cooking dinner, housekeeping, watching TV and hanging out with friends, along with responding to life and death situations. Holiday is a volunteer fire fighter with the Woodland Beach VFD. The organization provides fire and rescue services to the greater Edgewater/Mayo and surrounding communities. “The best part about being a …
On his sixteenth birthday, when most teens would be thinking of how to get out of the classroom, Matt Hafler was dreaming of getting in. On his birthday Hafler joined the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department and filled out paper work to start fire fighting classes with Anne Arundel County. Over the past two years not only has he become a trained fire fighter and an EMS provider but has also volunteered hundreds of hours working on public relations events. This last December he was Santa Clause for Crofton children. “This year I was Santa on the ‘Santa Cruze.' I sat on top of an antique open cab…
“Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack I don't care if I never get back,” Fire Fighter Blaine Slacum hums this classic song as he prepares to volunteer with the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department. At the moment he is not picturing a day of house fires or car accidents. Instead he is thinking about rooting for the Bowie Baysox and hoping not to use medical gear. “The Bowie Baysox approached the AVFD with the chance to staff the first aide room for all home games with staff from our volunteer members,” said Slacum a Crofton resident. He …
When you think of volunteer fire fighting activities do you think of a fun filled Saturday afternoon listening to Cross-Tie Walker with The Greaseman, WhyteBeard, Past Tense, and the M.C. Blues Band? For most this would not be the first thing that comes to mind. But for John Sweeney of the Woodland Beach Volunteer Fire Department that’s all that has been on his mind for months. The volunteer fire fighter has been planning the WBVFD’s Second Annual Fundraising Concert scheduled for this Saturday July 30th at Bayside Inn. Sweeney, a lieutenant in the department said, “I am the head of the event…
“A Fireman's Prayer... When I am called to duty, God wherever flames may rage, give me strength to save some life-whatever be its age. Help me embrace a little childBefore it is too late, or save an older person from the horror of that fate.” The Fireman’s Prayer hangs on the wall of Steve Torzone’s home office just above his computer. This is a very fitting place for the plaque. As a volunteer firefighter with the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department, Torzone not only spends time at the firehouse but also at his computer. Torzone is the web master for the AVFD. “I have been interested in …
As part of a monthly series on local artists, Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch has teamed up with the Muddy Creek Artists Guild to focus on the arts scene in the area. The guild currently consists of about 100 local artists in mediums including photography, painting, textiles, jewelry, woodwork, metalwork and more. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Muddy Creek Artists Guild website. The guild has two"musts" for their artists: they must live south of the South River, and their art must be original. This month we interviewed Deale artist Karl Graham, who works in mixed media, or what he…
Capt. Joseph Jordan had been at his previous command in the Anne Arundel County Police northern district for about four years when he got the call earlier this month to make a move to southern district. He's been in the department for 24 years, and he figured it was time for a change. "Every two to three years, you see a change, and Maj. Tom Wilson decided it was time," Jordan said. Jordan said he hasn't worked in the southern area for some time, but he is anxious to be hands on in the district. The change in leadership took effect last Thursday (Jan. 6) and Jordan said that he was looking …
Editors Note: Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch talked to the outgoing and incoming captains at southern and northern districts in separate interviews. We asked about their careers, their opinions on police work, and upcoming plans. The interviews will run today and tomorrow. The southern and northern district precincts for Anne Arundel County Police got a bit of a shakeup last Thursday (Jan. 6) when Capt. Bill Krampf at southern and Capt. Joe Jordan at northern switched commands. Capt. William "Bill" Krampf had served as the southern district captain just shy of three years. "In February, it …
