LAKEPORT ? To have the Veterans of Foreign Wars honor them for their service was humbling for a firefighter, a paramedic and a police officer.
“To get a thank you from the community is one thing, but then to get a thank you from the foreign war veterans is a whole ”nother level,” said Norm Taylor, VFW Lakeport police officer of the year. “I”d like to thank you.”
The crowd of more than 100 veterans and families then stood up and clapped for the VFW police officer, paramedic and firefighter of the year. The VFW Lakeport Post 2015 honored Lakeport safety personnel, Bob Gray as paramedic of the year and Danny Copas as the firefighter Monday at the Lakeport Senior Center.
The men, none of whom served in the military, received plaques and will receive a check for a $75 dinner, said Rocky Hockenhull, VFW quartermaster. The fire or police chief nominated the servicemen, who Hockenhull thinks are important to the community.
“We rely on them,” Hockenhull said. “They have saved life, after life, after life.” Kenneth Wells, Lakeport fire chief, said it was difficult to pick just one paramedic and one firefighter.
Gray was on of the first EMTs in Lake County, has worked for almost every ambulance agency in the area and has served 37 years, Wells said.
Gray said he appreciated the unexpected award, especially because he”s been “doing it a long time.”
“I really do respect the VFW,” Gray said. “We can never pay them back for what they”ve done for us. It”s a wonderful honor.” Wells said he could spend hours talking about Copas” resume. “Lakeport is very fortunate to have him on their staff,” Wells said.
Copas enjoys serving and hopes to be a firefighter as long as he can, he said. He was surprised when Wells told him he would be honored.
“It was an honor to be nominated by the fire chief and a privilege to work under him,” Copas said. Kevin Burke, chief of police, said it was easy to pick Taylor, because he”s the “go-to” officer.
Taylor said he was drawn to the job, in part, for the action and opportunity to be outdoors.
“It”s just an interesting jobs based on the calls we get, it”s constantly different,” Taylor said. “That”s what keeps it fresh.”
He”s going to put his plaque on the wall in his office at home, he said. Burke said he was impressed to hear Hockenhull served as a quartermaster in the Navy during World War II on a destroyer in the Pacific.
“This is an extremely distinguished group honoring us ? the VFW,” Burke said. “It really means something to have that group say thank you to the police department and the fire department.”
