Fire Science in the spotlight

Update | Thursday, September 26, 2019

Two faculty members and a graduate of the Columbus State Fire Science program were 2019 Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame Award recipients. The awards were presented on September 18 at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg.

Matthew Hammons, a 2015 graduate who is now working in Lima, received the Valor Award.  In the early morning hours of November 12, 2018, the Lima Fire Department was dispatched to a reported house fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found the first floor fully engulfed in flames and learned a child was still trapped inside the home.

Realizing the child was in imminent danger due to the quickly spreading fire, firefighter Hammons made entry into the home and found six-year-old Landyn Douglas at the top of the steps. He took Landyn into a bedroom and instructed him to stay low while he searched for a window to safely escape.

Hammons’ quick and heroic actions are directly responsible for saving a young boy’s life. Firefighter Matthew Hammons is a great credit to himself, his family, the Lima Fire Department, and the state of Ohio.

Adjunct faculty member Jay Compson received the State of Ohio’s Fire Service Instructor of the Year. The recognition is presented to instructors who have made a significant impact within their local department and in fire education.

Adjunct faculty member Jack Vasbinder received the Ohio Fire Educator Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served Franklin County and the State of Ohio for the past 35 years, dedicating his career to the development of the Ohio fire service through education and leadership. By doing so, he has carried on the dedication to firefighting that his father and grandfather shared in Cadiz, Ohio as volunteer firefighters. 

Go to 2019 Update Archive Go to Employee Update

 

Latest Update Stories

---