Fairport Harbor Fire Chief Robert Lloyd, left, displays the 2024 Ohio Fire Service Distinguished Service Award he received on April 24. Lloyd was among a lineup of firefighters honored at the 43rd annual Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame and Fire Awards ceremony in Columbus. As an award winner, Lloyd was also inducted into the Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame. Joining Lloyd for the photo are Ohio Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon, Ohio Commerce Department Director Sherry Maxfield and Ohio Fire Council Chairman John Finley. (Courtesy of the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office)
For two out of the last three years, fire chiefs from eastern Lake County have been honored at a major statewide award ceremony for the firefighting profession.
In 2022, Perry Joint Fire District Chief James McDonald received an Ohio Fire Service Distinguished Service Award. That accolade was presented to McDonald at the annual Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame & Fire Awards ceremony.
The awards program is co-sponsored by the Ohio Commerce Department’s State Fire Marshal division and the Ohio Public Safety Department’s Emergency Medical Services division.
By earning that award, McDonald was also inducted into the Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame.
Two years later, at the 2024 edition of the Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame & Fire Awards ceremony, another eastern Lake County fire chief gained a spot on the winners list.
This time around, it was Fairport Harbor Fire Chief Robert Lloyd who received an Ohio Fire Service Distinguished Service Award, News-Herald reporter Bill DeBus detailed. By garnering this tribute, Lloyd also became an Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame member.
Lloyd was one of four winners of an Ohio Fire Service Distinguished Service Award at this year’s event. The honor is given to Ohioans “whose leadership and accomplishments have served as a milestone and are widely recognized and respected in the Ohio fire service,” according to information announced during the ceremony.
We can understand why Lloyd’s career highlights in the firefighting profession impressed the award-selection committee.
Fairport Harbor Fire Capt. Jeffrey Braemer nominated Lloyd for the honor.
“Chief Lloyd has dedicated 40 years of his life to the fire service and the communities he has served,” Braemer said in a news release provided before the ceremony by the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office.
Lloyd is in his sixth year as Fairport Harbor chief. Previously, he served as battalion chief for the Eastlake Fire Department and chief of Grand River Village Fire Department.
He began his fire service career when he was hired as a part-time Painesville Township firefighter in 1984.
Videos highlighting the accomplishments and careers of each award recipient were presented at the event. In Lloyd’s video, audience members learned about the leadership he provided during the emergency response to a perilous situation 13 years ago in Fairport Harbor.
On Jan. 24, 2011, a problem with excessive pressure in natural gas lines caused a house explosion and a multitude of other structure fires in the community of about 3,100 residents.
Lloyd served as incident commander during the catastrophe.
“We had 20 working house fires all at the same time,” he said in the video.
Lloyd coordinated the efforts of fire departments from all over the region that converged on Fairport Harbor to help battle the blazes and alert residents of the need to evacuate the village. There were no casualties or injuries involving civilians or firefighters.
During the video, Lloyd also discussed the Handle with Care program that he helped establish in Fairport Harbor.
Handle with Care is an initiative involving the Fairport Harbor School District and village Fire and Police departments.
The program uses a standard approach in which police or firefighters who identify a child at the scene of a traumatic event — such as a medical emergency or domestic violence incident — will notify the youngster’s school before his or her next day of classes.
“We send an email to a dedicated inbox that says something like, ‘Joey had an encounter with Fairport police and fire yesterday. Handle with care,’” Lloyd noted.
All of the child’s teachers will be alerted to handle the student with care. But the affected child doesn’t know about the advisory, and neither do teachers who don’t interact with the youngster.
Fairport Harbor Mayor Timothy Manross said in the video that Lloyd is “an inspirational-type leader.”
“He empowers his men and women to be the best firefighters and EMTs that they can be,” the mayor said.
In conclusion, The News-Herald salutes Lloyd for being chosen as a recipient of the Ohio Fire Service Distinguished Service Award. His recognition of him is well-deserved.
