ORLANDO, Fla. - The Fire Department Safety Officers Association Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) of the Year was awarded to Mitch Perry, a mechanic with Clay County, Fla., Fire Rescue.
The award was presented to Perry during the opening ceremony of the 26th annual apparatus symposium in Orlando. The award was sponsored by C.E. Niehoff & Co., the maker of charging and power management systems for apparatus and emergency vehicles.
Perry was nominated by Deputy Chief Richard Knoff, who is in charge of Clay County Fire Rescue’s logistics division.
“He is considered the man who can fix anything,” Knoff wrote in his letter nominating him for the award. “…He has the ability to diagnose problems from the field to determine where downed units should be sent for outside repair.”
Perry has worked for Clay County for 16 years, 14 as an EVT for the department. The two years prior, he worked for the county’s fleet maintenance division.
He was selected as the Clay County Public Safety employee of the year for 2010 and has been a member of the EVT section of the Florida Fire Chief’s Association for several years. He holds certifications for Florida EVT for F-2 Design and Performance Standards and Preventive Maintenance of Fire Apparatus and Accessories.
In addition to being the go to guy for fixing apparatus and equipment, he has also helped convert former military tankers in to water tenders and brush vehicles.
In his personal life, Perry is a pastor for a small church in Palatka, and is active with his son in little league.
“His concern and compassion is extended to his work family,” Knoff said in his nomination letter.
Perry was presented the award and recognized in the company of Knoff and Clay County Fire Rescue Fire Chief Lorin Mock.
Editor's Note: The Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) Certification Commission will be conducting testing during Firehouse World in San Diego, Feb. 17-20. The conference will feature a two-day Mechanics Clinic in conjunction with the California Fire Mechanics Academy.
Ed Ballam
Ed Ballam served as associate editor for Firehouse. He is the assistant chief of the Haverhill Corner, N.H. Fire Department, and a National Registered EMT. He is also a Deputy Forest Fire Warden for the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands. Professionally, he's been a journalist for over 35 years working for a variety of publications, including employment as managing editor of a national fire service trade journal for more than a decade.
