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Thursday night, October 26th, the Magee Volunteer Fire Department held their annual recognition banquet at Berry’s Restaurant in Magee.
The highlight of the banquet is the naming of the Fire Fighter of the Year. The selection is voted by the fire department membership. No one knows the winner except the past year’s winner. Normally, the past year’s winner presents the new winner. Due to a conflict, last year’s Fire Fighter of the Year, Charlie Valadie, was unable to attend. Chief Lane Steele announced Michael Allan as the 2017 Fire Fighter of the Year. The announcement was quite emotional for everyone in attendance. To my knowledge, Michael is the youngest fireman to receive this honor! Michael dedicated his award to his younger brother Jacob who died in a tragic accident two years ago. Michael stated, “this is for you Jacob because I always know you are watching over me.” 
Chief Steele thanked the City of Magee Board of Alderman and Mayor and the Simpson County Board of Supervisors for their support. Lane also expressed his appreciation to retired firemen and the firemen who came before laying the ground work for such a strong department. 
(Lane and his mother Nadine Steele)
This year the fire department had 826 hours of off-site training and 397 hours of in- house training bringing the total training hours to 1223!
Firemen receiving in-house training certificates were: Lane Steele (23 hrs), Chris Tuggle (19 hrs), Tony Puckett (17 hrs), Phillip Magee (23 hrs), David Craft (23 hrs), Shane Steele (23 hrs), Philip Allan (23 hrs), B. J. Smith (15 hrs), Bobby Toney (21 hrs), Kevin Meadows (5 hrs), Jason Clayburn (18 hrs), Michael Allan (23 hrs), John Hosey (9 hrs),
Mark Parker (13 hrs), Shane Little (6 hrs), Kory Smith (8 hrs), Tommy Horan (18 hrs), Brennan Magee (8 hrs), and Brayden Magee (10 hrs).
174 fire calls were received last year involving 1,830 man hours or 50 hours per fire fighter. Firemen who attended 50% of fire calls: Michael Allan, David Craft, Vance Hamilton, Tony Puckett, Lane Steele, Bobby Toney, Chris Tuggle and Shane Steele. Phillip Magee made the highest number of calls. Phillip made 143 calls out of the 174 making 83% of the calls.
Fire meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Twenty-four meetings are held during the year equaling 880 meeting hours. Firemen attending 90% of the meetings were: Michael Allan, Jimmy Lott and Shane Steele. Firemen attending 100% of the meeting were: David Craft, Philip Allan, Phillip Magee, and Lane Steele.
Shane Little was recognized for 5 years of service, and Chris Tuggle was recognized for 15 years of service.
Firemen attending the Chevron Class: Michael Allan, Bobby Toney, Jason Clayburn, Shane Steele, Brayden Magee, and Tommy Horan. The Chevron Class is sponsored by Chevron Oil Refinery.
The men are trained in fighting gas and liquid fuel fires. The training proved to be extremely valuable when the propane truck and tanker truck wrecked on highway 49 this year.
The members reaching Level 1 Volunteer Certification were: Dustin Grubbs, Tommy Horan, Brayden Magee, Michael Allan, Philip Allan, Jason Clayburn, and Shane Little. Hayden Holbrook and Anthony Fayard were unable to attend the banquet.
The Magee Volunteer Firemen don’t do it for pay…they choose to do it!
