By Karen Haave
Six members of the Monee Emergency Management Agency were honored during the recent village board meeting as recipients of the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
“In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President’s Volunteer’s Service Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity,” explained Randy Ulaskas, Monee EMA director. “This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action. It is a great honor to recognize our Emergency Management Volunteer Responders, whose service positively impacts the Village of Monee.”
The President’s Volunteer Service Award Bronze Medal recipients are Lt. Chad Simpson, Sgt. Norm Flaig, and Responders Romulus Biris, Mike Larson, and Brian Glim. Each logged more than 100 hours of service.
Responder Jim Paicz was a Silver Medal recipient, with more than 250 hours of service.
“Guys, these are the pillars of our agency, not only for our calls of service, for our training and our details when we go into storm mode,” Ulaskas told the village board. “When you watch the weather and you see that red line of clouds coming, these guys are on the street.
“When there’s a blizzard, these guys are on the street, and they work six, eight, 10 hours under detail and then just go to work the next day. So, I can’t stress enough my gratitude, my thanks on behalf of the village, and we’re blessed to have you.”
Trustee Scott Youdris, who serves as public safety liaison for the village, also voiced his admiration and appreciation for the EMA volunteers.
“I am so proud of this whole group,” he said. “They give so much, to not only our village, but to all of Will County.
“The part that stands out to me most is the word “Volunteer.” These volunteers work regular jobs, they have families, and they celebrate holidays like the rest of us. The difference is they put that to the side to train, work all our village activities, and respond to emergencies, as well. I respect that more than any words I can put here. Jim, Chad, Norm, Rommi, Mike, and Brian, congratulations on your awards of service. I’m very grateful for all you provide to our community.”
Mayor Therese Bogs concurred, “I’m just so very proud of our volunteers and their dedication and commitment to the village and so pleased we have the ability to, and actively support, our first responders.”
Monee’s EMA currently has 17 volunteers, according to Village Administrator Ruben Bautista.
“EMA was officially launched in April 2013 by Village Ordinance,” Bautista noted. “This mandate was one of former Mayor Jay Farquhar’s initiatives to provide a supportive unit of trained individuals to the First Responder Community. The first EMA Team consisted of 15 members. This team was recruited and had prior police, fire, EMS, and or military experience.
“In 2014, the second phase of the coordinated emergency response effort was launched through the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The first CERT consisted of 43 members from Monee and surrounding communities. This type of response focused on natural or man-made catastrophic events. Both the EMA and CERT Teams are FEMA trained, with the understanding that a team member can respond to a disaster and assist with other similarly trained teams anywhere throughout the country.”
The April 12 village board meeting also saw the swearing-in of Monee’s newest Police Officer, Christian Schabacker.
“We want to welcome Christian to the Monee family,” MPD Chief Scott Koerner said. “He comes to us from the Matteson Police Department. He is a veteran, highly thought of there. We have great expectations for him.”