St. John protected by bravest’s best
Published 12:12 am Saturday, April 30, 2016
- Travis Etie was named firefighter of the year by his department and by the American Legion.
LAPLACE — The firefighters of St. John the Baptist Parish do more than save lives.
They use their training, skills and dedication to win awards to show others outside their community what they are capable of accomplishing.
Cameron Buccola, from left, Michael Moscona, Travis Etie and William Parker listen Tuesday as they are honored during the St. John Parish Council meeting. Etie is holding their first place trophy for coming out on top at the Louisiana State Competitive Drills. (Raquel Derganz Baker/L’Observateur)
Once such dedicated firefighter is Travis Etie, who was named firefighter of the year by the department and by the American Legion on April 21.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be awarded firefighter of the year,” he said. “I strive for excellence. I do everything unto the Lord. I try to lead or try to be an example by what I do and what I say. I also couldn’t have won this award without my brothers. Firefighting isn’t a single-person thing, it’s a team effort.”
Etie has been giving the parish his all by being a firefighter for the past seven years.
“It’s something that I dreamed about doing a long time ago but I never really pursued it,” he said. “I waited kind of late in my career to get started. I went to the Academy when I was 37 and I’m fixing to be 44. I just had a burning in my heart to serve and make a difference in people’s lives.”
Etie is stationed at Station 55 on Belle Point Boulevard in LaPlace.
“I love everything about being a firefighter,” he said. “I love the training, working with the kids for prevention week and the camaraderie with the guys.”
Fire Chief of Operations Cain Dufrene said Etie puts in 130 percent effort every day.
“He really steps up and motivates the guys,” Dufrene said. “He puts forth every effort he can to better himself, better the guys on his shift, better the department as a whole and he puts the community first.”
Dufrene said Etie makes him want to be a better chief, adding Etie keeps him motivated.
“There is nobody more deserving (of firefighter of the year) than Travis,” he said. “He doesn’t stop. We are the ones that actually have to stop him. There is no stop button on him. There is no end to what he will do.”
Along with winning firefighter of the year, Etie was on the team that won first place in the Louisiana State Competitive Drills for the third year in a row.
“It shows that this job is really a team effort,” Etie said. “I struggled in one part this year, and my brothers picked me up. We worked through everything and got an awesome time. We were well ahead of the other teams.”
In the competition, Etie said the men perform job drills such as rolling a hose, carrying a dummy and spraying water.
Etie competed with Michael Moscona, Cameron Buccola and William Parker. All of the men were honored at the St. John Parish Council meeting this week.
Dufrene said community members should really be proud of their firefighters.
“The community should know that they have a fire department that is ready, willing and able to put forth that effort every day,” he said. “We are here to serve anyway we can, whether it’s the big house fires down to the little things. When you call, we’re coming. We have a department that is trained and qualified to handle anything.”
