Dear Hall of Fame Committee Members,

  The Deale Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad would like to nominate Francis Raymond Mudd, III to the Anne Arundel Volunteer Firefighters Association Hall of Fame. Ray joined the Deale Volunteer Fire Department in 1968 and is a life member. He has thirty-nine years of service to Deale and the surrounding communities. Ray is currently a Firefighter III and is an EMTB.

  Ray was Deale’s Chief and Station Commander for ten years. He was a firefighter’s Chief. Always responding to fire calls and providing direction and leadership on the fire ground. He was a mentor to many young firefighters and was a Chief who was respected by both the career and volunteer personnel. Ray was among the first firefighters to take EMT and has remained certified over the years. He is still one that our members go to for advice and value his opinion on how or what to do in various situations.

  Ray is currently on the Deale Volunteer Fire Department’s Board of Directors. In his position as a member of the Board of Directors he provides guidance, direction and participates in decisions on administrative and personnel matters for the Department. He is the Chairman of the apparatus committee helping to formulate Deale’s short and long term plans for apparatus and equipment purchases. He served on the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Convention Committee when Deale hosted the annual convention. Ray is currently one of Deale’s delegates to the Maryland State Firemen’s Association annual convention and has served in this capacity for many years.

  We request your favorable consideration for Francis Raymond Mudd, III as an inductee into the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighter’s Association Hall of Fame.

  Yours in the Fire Service,
  Gayle Moreland, President

Dear Committee Members:

  I am writing to offer my personal comments in support of and to nominate an individual to be inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame for the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighter’s Association. This honor is considered one of the highest awards of the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighter’s Association that can be conferred on an individual. My nominee is an active officer with the Deale Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad. This honor is based on a highly selective basis to an individual who, in the opinion of the judges, has made outstanding contributions to our county, the County Association, his/her home department, and our State.

  My nominee joined the Deale department as soon as he turned age 16, in 1967. He has maintained his membership continually, currently completing his a40th year as a member. During his 40 years he received top responder awards several years in both fire responses and ambulance responses. He has served in all operational line officer positions from Sergeant to Fire Chief. He served very progressively in the position of Fire Chief for around ten years. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors of our department, and is one of the key individuals trying to improve the department and move it forward in a progressive manner.

  During his tenure as Fire Chief he was the corner stone in bringing fire boat service to the Deale and South County areas. A fire boat was obtained, training was given to the membership, and the waterfront communities of not only Anne Arundel County but Calvert County were provided with this vital service. Also during his tenure he was the leading push to obtain an aerial ladder, thus bringing truck service to the South County area as well as Northern Calvert County as well.

  During his tenure as Fire Chief he served as the Chair of the Anne Arundel County Chief’s Council for several years in the mid 1980’s. As Chair of the Chief’s Council, my nominee was involved in many countywide issues requiring him to meet with County officials, and come to amenable solutions to various personnel, budgetary, and operational matters. He also faithfully attended and participated in the various activities and meetings of the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firemen’s Association as it was known at that time.

  I was the MC for the Deale parades for many years prior to moving to Deale. When I joined the Deale department in 1986, Deale had just experienced one of the most severe fires in Anne Arundel County history. This fire was the Winstead Tobacco Warehouse Fire of April 1985. This fire went to an 18 alarm fire, not only destroying the warehouses but setting many brush and woods fires in the surrounding areas. My nominee was the Fire Chief and in command of this multiple alarm conflagration.

  During 1991, the Deale department was dispatched to a dwelling fire on West Bayfront Road. Upon arrival the dwelling was heavily involved in fire. I was operating Truck 42 on this incident, and my nominee was the Fire Chief. He responded to this incident in his personal vehicle and did not have full protective gear with him, as he was working at his place of employment. He borrowed some of my gear and proceeded to assist with the fighting the fire.  As most know staffing was very limited in the South County during these times. At one point I had been asked to try and cut the power to the dwelling. This dwelling had the power meter inside of the dwelling due to remodeling efforts. After completing this task, I tried to exit the dwelling the same way that I had entered but was unable to do so as a partial collapse of the dwelling was occurring. After leaving the dwelling in another method, as I rounded the corner, I noticed that a firefighter was down. This firefighter was my nominee who had been caught in the collapse and received severe burns. This healing process took several months and to this day total healing is not possible (both physical and mental).

  With such high standards this award is one of the most coveted awards that can be received during our Annual Convention. My nominee has been working with not only our Association over the past four decades, on numerous emergency services programs and projects, but has maintained an active and vital role within Deale Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad. Many of his efforts have impacted and will continue to impact the future of the fire, rescue, and emergency medical services of our County.

  My nominee continuously demonstrates his leadership, expertise, and total dedication to the emergency services organizations and their numerous programs and projects. During my working relationship with him he has been involved with all aspects of the emergency services including: administration, public education, operations, and prevention activities. Whatever the project, he has taken a vital leadership role and has always achieved the program goals in a most professional manner.

  Many of our current and past officers have called upon, and continue to call upon, my nominee for assistance and guidance with projects and programs, and have also received invaluable assistance with accomplishing their goals.

  In consideration of a lifetime of commitment and dedication to the betterment of the emergency services, our Association, its membership, and the citizens we all serve, I am most proud to submit Chief Francis Raymond Mudd, III of the Deale Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, for consideration for induction into the highly coveted Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association Hall of Fame.

  For the service,
  Chief Leonard T. King, Sr. P.P.