RFD Names Firefighter of the Year, Welcomes New Firefighters

Two new Redlands Firefighter/Paramedics received their badges and the department named its 2014 Firefighter of the Year during a recent ceremony in the Redlands City Council Chambers. After opening remarks by City Manager N. Enrique Martinez, the following personnel were recognized: Capt. Michael McMath was named the Firefighter of the Year as Fire Department members, City staff, friends and family gathered in the Council Chambers Thursday evening, April 9. McMath started his emergency services career as an emergency medical technician ambulance driver in 1990. He attained additional experience as a reserve firefighter with the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Department and as a paid-call Running Springs firefighter before joining the Redlands Fire Department in January 2000. With more than 24 years of emergency services experience, Captain McMath brings a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to his work. McMath earned an Associates of Science degree in Fire Technology from Rio Hondo College in 1994. In 2011, he completed his Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix. He also holds a California Fire Officer Certification. “Michael has taken it upon himself to gain the formal education and experience necessary to fill a critical need for information technology within the fire service,” said Redlands Fire Chief Jeff Frazier. “His abilities have been pivotal in a number of new programs that he has been able to participate in and lead the Department into uncharted territory. “Capt. McMath has consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide service to the community, our department and surrounding agencies. His work on our Fire Records Management System has allowed us to identify and filter data needed for grants, staff reports and State and Federal reporting systems,” Frazier continued. New Firefighter/Paramedics Christian Dominguez and Matthew Swenson received their badges during the ceremony. Dominguez’s mother, Lorenza, and Swenson’s wife, Jennifer, pinned the badges to the new employees’ uniforms after which the firefighters took the Oath of Office from City Clerk Sam Irwin. Swenson was a Fire Explorer with the Redlands Fire Department and graduated from Redlands High School before attending the Redlands Emergency Services Academy. He built the foundation of his career working for the United States Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Dominguez completed his paramedic internship with the Redlands Fire Department and worked for four years as a paramedic with American Medical Response ambulance service. He also served as a reserve Redlands Firefighter for a year and a half. The Fire Chief also recognized several department members for their activities with various charitable causes. Capt. Eva Toppo and Firefighter/Paramedic Jeffrey Kuhn were recognized for their efforts with the “Be a Hero” Heart Gallery Campaign, a program designed to find families for children in foster care who have been abused and neglected. Engineer Matt Ley and Firefighter/Paramedic Steve Leverette were recognized for their work coordinating Bowling for Burns and raising more than $17,000 to benefit the Fire & Burn Foundation. Fire Explorer Anthony Alvarado was named Explorer of the Year after completing more than four times the mandatory 102 volunteer hours. Redlands Fire Fighters Local 1345 was recognized for two “Fill the Boot” campaigns, raising $17,736 in 2014 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and $7,700 for the Fire & Burn Foundation. Redlands Firefighters also collected more than 1,000 toys, cash for gift cards and serving approximately 1,000 families in the Redlands area through the Spark of Love promotion during November and December 2014.