Plymouth Firefighter Named Finalist for ‘Emergency Vehicle Technician of the Year’
Firefighters have to respond quickly when a call comes in. Their fire rigs are expected to arrive at their destination without issue. But what happens when a fire truck has a mechanical issue?
That’s where Marc Elbin comes in.
“If a truck breaks down on the way to a call or at the scene it can be lives on the line,” said Elbin, the emergency vehicle technician for the Plymouth Fire Department.
Elbin maintains and repairs all vehicles in the city’s fire department fleet. He also goes out on fire calls.
“It’s good for me to be on the rigs as much as possible because I will notice stuff that other people might not pick up because I have a feel or an ear for it,” said Elbin.
Department leaders say Elbin has a knack for fixing things.
“There’s no part of an emergency vehicle Marc is not able to repair,” said Plymouth Fire Chief Rodger Coppa.
Elbin is not only noticed by his colleagues, he has been recognized nationally. Elbin was one of five national finalists for the “Emergency Vehicle Technician of the Year” award by Firehouse magazine and the Fire Department Safety Officers Association.
“I know a lot of people that do what I do and to see myself recognized to that level, I’m definitely humbled by it,” Elbin said.
Elbin goes through a variety of system checks
A truck mechanic for 25 years, Elbin has served with the Plymouth Fire Department for nearly the past six.
“There’s a saying, you’ve got two pedals, one of ’em has to be pushed to the floor at all times,” he noted. “You’re racing to a call, you’re getting there as fast as you can, it’s harder on brakes. You’re stopping harder, you’re going places trucks wouldn’t necessarily go.”
And officials say Elbin has taken Plymouth to places it hasn’t gone before.
“Because of his attitude, work ethic and knowledge Marc has taken us to the next level of being able to respond to any given emergency,” said Coppa.
But at the end of the day, Elbin’s goals are pretty simple.
“These are my friends, these are guys I work with and their safety and the safety of the public is my main job.”
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