How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
LUCERNE, Calif. – The Northshore Fire Protection District officially welcomed two new members to its team of first responders and marked the promotion of another at a special ceremony held Friday afternoon at the district’s Lucerne headquarters.
Daniel Blair and Ralph Mattice, who joined the district late last year, and Randy Newell, a four-year veteran of the district, were celebrated at the event at Lucerne Station 80.
Blair is a firefighter/EMT who came from the Marin County Fire Department and Mattice is a paramedic/firefighter who previously worked for AMR in Contra Costa County, while Newell moved up in the Northshore Fire ranks from firefighter/paramedic to engineer, according to Chief Mike Ciancio.
The three men were joined by their families, colleagues and district board members Jim Burton, John Barnette and Lynn Ringuette.
“This is a special occasion for these guys, to get badged,” Ciancio told the group, adding he hoped all of them will enjoy long careers in the fire service.
“These guys spend a lot of time away from home,” said Ciancio.
Ciancio, who started the introduced the ceremonies, made sure to welcome the families, explaining they are now part of the larger Northshore Fire family.
Ciancio then administered the oath to the three men, after which their family members took turns pinning on their badges.
Mattice’s wife, Bessie, pinned on his badge as their two small children, Jack and Pepper, watched nearby.
Daniel Blair’s father, Kevin, pinned on his badge, then shook his son’s hand.
Newell’s wife Casey, herself a volunteer firefighter, pinned on his badge as Ciancio held their small daughter, Ember.
For Newell, firefighting is a profession for more than one generation of his family. His grandfather, Bill Merriman, who worked for Kelseyville Fire for 32 years as an engineer, was on hand to celebrate the next step in his grandson’s career.
Ciancio told Lake County News that staffing for the district – one of the largest in the state as far as coverage area – includes a total of 19 full-time firefighter positions, one of which is open but is in the process of being filled, along with two battalion chiefs, two officer personnel and Ciancio himself.
In addition, Ciancio said there are about 12 volunteers on the district’s books.
Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
