Roselle Firefighter Wins Award

Roselle Firefighter Matthew Coppock received the “New Horizons” award from the Illinois Fire Inspectors Association at a banquet on October 28. The award is designed to recognize fire and life safety educators with three or less years of experience for their outstanding involvement, dedication, and attention to detail in their departments' public education efforts.

According to Roselle Fire Lieutenant David Gnadt, Coppock has made major improvements to the C.P.R. program offered by the Fire Department, helping to make it the most successful it has ever been. Additionally, Coppock schedules various programs to teach fire safety to children, while working to improve existing public education programs. “Matt has been a tremendous asset to the Department's Fire & Life Safety Division,” said Gnadt.

“The fire and life safety education that Firefighter Coppock delivers is essential to our community's residents,” said Roselle Fire Chief Bob Tinucci. “Teaching the children at a younger age instills the fire safety message as a part of their early learning and is an effective means to bring home and reinforce these safe practices to all family members.” Additionally, Chief Tinucci said that Coppock greatly enhanced the public education program at the Roselle Fire Department and is truly committed to save lives through fire safety education.

Coppock graduated from Western Illinois University in 2007 with a major in Law Enforcement & Justice Administration and a minor in Fire Administration, and has been with the Roselle Fire Department since 2008.