The Orland Fire Protection District promoted three firefighters to the ranks of engineer, lieutenant and battalion chief during a ceremony Aug. 12 at the district’s administrative office.
Interim Fire Chief John Purtill led the Oath of Office ceremony, joined by district trustees DJ Jeffers and Bridget Tolan, commissioners Brian O’Neill and Mohammed Jaber, and members of Local 2750.
Jennifer Logan was promoted to engineer, Joseph Miller to lieutenant, and Thomas Panzica to battalion chief. Families of the honorees joined district firefighters at the ceremony, with relatives pinning badges on each recipient.
“These promotions signify more than a welcome, more than a new title or insignia. It represents years of dedication, continuous learning, improvement and mastery of critical skills needed for these demanding roles,” Purtill said after the posting of the Colors. “Becoming an Engineer, Lieutenant, and Battalion Chief is a testament to their hard work and commitment to better themselves, thus bettering the district.”
District chaplain John Vogel, pastor of the First Church of the Nazarene, offered the invocation. O’Neill administered the oath.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to honor and thank Jennifer Logan, Fire Fighter Joseph Miller, and Lieutenant Thomas Panzica, first, for their dedication in those roles, and second, for the personal sacrifice made to bring these ideas to others,” Vogel said.
Purtill described the responsibilities of each rank as the firefighters and their families were recognized.
“The engineer’s role is essential to operations. They are the core of the fire apparatus, responsible for driving and maintaining the engine, operating complex pump systems and ensuring a reliable water supply to each incident,” Purtill said while introducing Logan. “In the chaos of an emergency, the engineer is the calm professional making quick decisions to get the right equipment in the right place, ensuring effective firefighting and rescue operations.” Logan’s husband, Patrick, pinned her badge.
Turning to Miller, Purtill said, “Becoming a lieutenant in the fire service reflects dedication, skill and leadership. It signifies a shift from individual tasks to supervising a team, ensuring their safety and guiding them through the challenges of the profession.” He praised Miller’s “dedication to training, strong work ethic, commitment to teamwork, ability to make decisions under pressure, compassion, ability to handle difficult situations, ability to think quickly, solve problems and a general, genuine commitment to safety.”
Miller’s wife, Megan, and children Reagan, Marshall and Molly pinned his new badge.
Acknowledging Panzica, Purtill said, “Tom has consistently demonstrated leadership and commitment throughout his career as a firefighter and lieutenant. Tom’s individual dedication to serving the community and protecting the members has been unwavering. His spirit, pursuit of excellence, and ability to inspire others is evident.”
Panzica’s daughter Kylie pinned his badge, while his son, Sam Willis, offered a personal conferment.
“I want to thank Chief Purtill and the Fire District for this opportunity for the promotion. I want to congratulate Engineer Logan and Lieutenant Miller. They’re going to do great things,” Panzica said. “Most of all, I want to thank my family for putting up with me during the past year with my studying and everything. And of course, I want to thank everybody here that came out, especially the Firefighters.”
Purtill closed the ceremony with encouragement: “Congratulations to our three newly promoted Firefighters. It’s just a step in the process. We’re getting bigger, faster and more calls every day. So, take every day as an opportunity to learn.”
For more information, visit www.OrlandFire.org.