Amador County – The city of Ione formally inducted two more fire personnel last week, and also recognized a local police patrol volunteer for quick help in saving a man’s life after he expired from a heart attack.

Ione Fire Chief Ken Mackey inducted the third and fourth paid fire personnel in the Ione Fire Department Aug. 16, with help from the firemen’s spouses, who pinned on their husbands’ badges at a ceremony in City Hall.

A standing room only crowd filled Ione City Council chambers when Mackey presented new Fire Captains Brian Diregolo and Steven Billingsley, and their spouses pinned on the badges. Mackey followed with pinning on their service bugles, followed by salutes and handshakes.

Interim City Manager Jeff Butzlaff in a report to the City Council, said “since we’ve been able to move forward with the final phase of Measure M implementation, we’ve appointed Silverio ‘Sil’ Herrera as our new paid fire apparatus engineer, and Brian Diregolo and Steven Billingsley as our new paid call fire captains.”

Mackey requested the formal pinning of the Captains, and Herrera will be pinned at the Sept. 6 council meeting.

The Council last week also approved a Certificate of Commendation for local Ione Police Department Volunteer Patrol Officer Bill Thiry, for his “outstanding, courageous lifesaving service while off duty.”

The council authorized preparing the certificate for Thiry, who while off duty and working in his business of window cleaning at a local home, in the 400 block of Fairway Drive, he heard a loud noise and went to help a local man who had suffered a heart attack, and whose pulse and breathing had stopped.

Thiry immediately began CPR, before paramedics arrived. The man was revived and was at home and expected to make a full recovery when the Council recognized Thiry’s actions last week, with Mayor David Plank reading an account of the incident, furnished by Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson. ¶ Butzlaff in a report recommended the Council OK the certificate to recognize Thiry for “exceptional public service in responding to a life or death situation.”

Butzlaff said Thiry “took immediate lifesaving action” and “a life was saved that may very well have otherwise been lost.” He noted that Thiry was assisted by both on-duty and off-duty Ione Fire personnel, as well as IPD personnel.

He said “while all our public safety personnel do a wonderful job day in and day out in just such circumstances, there are times such as this when special recognition above and beyond is both appropriate and called for.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.