Attorney General Jason Miyares Speaks at First Responders Appreciation Event
Annual event hosted by the regional Chamber of Commerce includes awards given to local first responders. Fredericksburg Fire Chief Mike Jones receives Lifetime Achievement Award.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and a friend were walking through the American Cemetery in Normandy, France during a recent visit.
They were both deeply moved by the sacrifice of American soldiers who died during and shortly after the D-Day landings during World War II.
“It’s remarkable that our country turned out such a generation of heroes,” the friend said to Miyares.
“I responded, ‘We still do,’” Miyares recalled on Wednesday. “And I see them here in this room.”
Miyares was the keynote speaker at the First Responders Appreciation Breakfast, hosted on Wednesday by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Now in its eighth year, the event honors First Responders from Planning District 16—Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, and King George—who have been nominated by their chiefs for acts of heroism and valor.
Police, Sheriff’s deputies, and fire, rescue, and emergency management staff from all five jurisdictions gathered at the Fredericksburg Convention Center.
In addition to Miyares, elected officials in attendance included state senator Tara Durant; delegates Phil Scott, Bobby Orrock, and Paul Milde; Stafford supervisors Meg Bohmke, Tinesha Allen, Darrell English, Pamela Yeung, Deuntay Diggs, and Monica Gary; Spotsylvania supervisor Drew Mullins; and Fredericksburg City Council member Jon Gerlach.
(Above: Deuntay Diggs, a Stafford Sheriff’s deputy and member of the Stafford Board of Supervisors, leads a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the First Responders Appreciation Breakfast on Wednesday, August 21.)
Marty Bywaters-Baldwin, chief mission officer with Rappahannock Goodwill Industries—which was the event’s Title Sponsor—said that in speaking with local first responders over the past few weeks, he noticed several trends.
“When asked what they want the community to celebrate, the number one answer is ‘our commitment to the community,’” Bywaters-Baldwin said. “And when asked, ‘What is one truth you’d like to be reminded of?’ the answer is, ‘That you can’t pour from an empty cup.’”
“Today,” Bywaters-Baldwin continued, “we hope your cup is filled one way or another, whether through laughter, conversation, or a strong cup of coffee.”
Xavier Richardson, member of the Chamber of Commerce Board and senior vice president and chief development officer at Mary Washington Healthcare, offered an invocation.
He asked attendees to pray for first responders’ safety, for their families, that they be guided by wisdom and protected from panic and fatigue, and that they remember that “the greatest of all is the servant of all.”
Miyares was introduced by Kevin Dillard, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Board, who drew attention to Miyares’ background as the son of a single mother who immigrated from Cuba—and is the first child of an immigrant and the first person of Hispanic background to be elected to statewide office in Virginia.
Miyares thanked the Chamber for hosting an event in honor of first responders.
“This region cannot thrive if at their core people don’t feel safe,” he said.
Miyares told first responders that they represent “the best of Virginia,” calling attention to the fact that while most people run away from bullets and from fire, first responders run towards them.
“I put on a suit and tie to go to work. You put on a bullet proof vest,” he said.
Miyares said that gratitude is the most underrated of human traits and that lack of gratitude is “a cultural problem” that the country must fix.
“I hope every single first responder in this room leaves knowing that your job matters,” he concluded.
Fredericksburg Fire Chief Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
This year, the Chamber introduced a Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize exceptional contributions in the field and presented it to Fredericksburg Fire Chief Mike Jones.
Retired Fire Chief Eddie Allen gave the award to Jones.
Jones, whose father was also a firefighter, began his career with the Falmouth Volunteer Fireman’s Association in 1979. In 1981, he joined Stafford County Fire and Rescue as a dispatcher, and in 1983, he was hired by the Fredericksburg Fire Department, which at the time had fewer than 20 paid firefighters.
He became lieutenant in 1987, captain in 1991, battalion chief in 2006, and deputy fire chief in 2012.
In March of 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jones became chief and played an important role in keeping the public informed and reassured during those challenging and confusing times.
Kevin Dillard, chair of the Chamber board, said, “I have known Chief Jones personally for decades. He has served in both volunteer and career capacities for over 40 years. As a leader who steps forward to set examples for others, is a humble public servant, and has continually earned the gratitude and respect of our community, I am most pleased that he has now been recognized for his lifetime of work that has vastly improved the fire and EMS profession within our region.”
The Advance will publish a list of all awardees and presenters this weekend.
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