(Riverton, WY) – On May 15th, members of the Wind River Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) gathered online and at Brown Sugar Coffee Roastery in Riverton for a lunch meeting to honor two local first responders.
Chapter President Karl Falken presented the SAR’s Emergency Medical Services
Commendation Medal to Paramedic Matthew Doi of AMR Fremont County and the Fire Safety Commendation Medal to Sgt Donavon Detimore of the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.
The Emergency Medical Services Commendation Medal is presented to an individual by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution for accomplishments and/or outstanding contributions in an area of emergency medical services. The award is intended for paramedics and certified Emergency Medical Technicians and others in the emergency medical field who have performed an act or service beyond that normally expected.
Matthew Doi has been an EMT since 2013 and a Paramedic with AMR Fremont County for four years. He is a Crew Leader and Field Training Officer (FTO).
“Matt is also an exceptional patient advocate, supporting patients and families through stressful situations,” shared AMR Operations Manager Diane Lane. “He takes great pride in his job, leading new recruits into their seats as a providers. He is always smiling and has a positive attitude. He takes initiative, making sure that his station and ambulances are clean and always ready for the next call.”
The Fire Safety Commendation Medal is presented to an individual for accomplishments and/or outstanding contributions in an area of fire safety and service. The award is not limited to firefighters. It may be presented to recognize a variety of fire safety and service that has evolved into a highly technical and skilled profession with constant study, development and involvement by numerous dedicated citizens with a single goal – protect human life and property by preventing injuries or casualties due to fire and chemicals.
The Fremont County Fire Protection District Battalion 8 Station 1, Midvale nominated Fremont County Sheriff’s Department’s Sgt Donavon Detimore, an 18 year veteran of the district, for the Fire Safety Commendation Medal because he was also chosen or Firefighter of the year for Fremont County Fire Protection District.
According to Fire District Chief Craig Haslam, in 2020 Donavon dedicated hours of service not only to Midvale but to the fire district as a whole. On top of general duties that would be normally assigned to an assistant Chief, there were three categories where Donavon has applied himself and excelled: recruiting, training and general maintenance.
For Battalion 8 alone, Donavon has recruited seven new volunteer firemen. Sgt Donovan also worked at recruiting for other battalions: North Portal, Pavillion and Kinnear. This complex work is critical to maintaining an adequate volunteer force or the county. In addition to recruiting, Donavon held nearly 150 hours of training
sessions at the fire hall, and completed Firefighter Type 2 (Crewmember), Fire Officer 1, and Fire Service Instructor 1.
“One can spend 30 seconds in a fire hall and have a clear line as to what kind of leadership and respect there is amongst the team,” explained Chief Haslam. “Donavan has exhibited those qualities and has inspired all of us to follow suit. We believe there is no finer candidate for Firefighter of the year in Fremont County.”
Sgt Detimore was unable to attend the chapter meeting due to his duties, so the award was presented to him at the Fremont County Justice Center instead.