Firefighter of the Year

Christopher Manson was named Reserve Firefighter of the Year for
2010.
Manson participated in more than 100 training hours and provided
the most hours to the department’s on-call and reserve augmentation
programs. He dedicated more than 2,900 hours to the fire
department.
Manson, who also has a full time job as the Regional Director of
Governmental Relations for St. Joseph’s Health Systems, said he
spent a lot of nights and weekends at the department last year.
“Everyone here does such a great job, it was definitely a
surprise and an honor,” he said of winning the award.
Fire Chief Steve Adams praised Manson for his dedication and
said he is a hard working firefighter.
“He truly loves volunteering his time to the city, but also
being a part of the fire department,” Adams said.
Manson, a five-year resident of Healdsburg with his wife
Heather, complimented the city on its fire department.
“I really enjoy working with a great group of people, it’s a
great department,” he said.
“I also thank my wife for letting me do something that I
enjoy.”
Adams said overall, the reserve firefighters dedicate over
15,000 hours of volunteer time a year, providing the staffing
needed to respond to calls that require more than one engine as
well as providing mutual aid for nearby departments and staffing
for strike teams.