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By Sara Parker

Monadnock Ledger Staff

PETERBOROUGH -- During the annual Appreciation Night dinner held to honor the spouses of the Peterborough Fire and Rescue volunteers Saturday night, firefighter Jon Hampson was name Member of the Year.

Although Hampson was recognized for his dedication to and work in the department, he says the award is really about the entire staff of 45 volunteer rescue workers and firefighters. "Personally I feel the award is not about me. It's about what a wonderful team we have working together toward a common goal," he said yesterday.  "Without the team I wouldn't have received this award."

Although the town is in the process of hiring a new chief, many of the volunteer fire and rescue workers have taken on added responsibilities to help fill the gap left by former Fire Chief Bill Naugle last year, Hampson said.  The average time a volunteer contributes as fire or rescue worker can vary.  During a slow week, he said, averaging only one to two hours is not uncommon. But other weeks, between rescue calls and extra administrative duties volunteers have taken on, the hours can get up into double digits.

The Peterborough Fire and Rescue Department is the second busiest Fire Department in the 79-town mutual aid district says Hampson.

The district covers all of southwest New Hampshire and parts of southeastern Vermont. "This year we're on track to answer over 1,200 calls," he said.  Only the Keene Fire and Rescue department is busier, and that is with a combination of full-time and volunteer staff.

Hampson has been with the Peterborough Fire Department since 1985, but has been involved in the fire and rescue service since the late 1970s.

A lifelong Peterborough resident, as a teenager he was part of the ski patrol at Temple Mountain. It was there that he first learned the basics of first aid. He attended the University of Maine and worked on the campus Fire Department in exchange for room and board. He earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural mechanization, specializing in hydraulics and a master's degree in business administration.

During vacations and summers when he was not attending school, he worked with the Souhegan Ambulance Department and the Temple Fire Department.

When he is not volunteering, Hampson works full-time as a publishing executive at MSDN Magazine, a Microsoft publication for software developers based in New York. Although he is one of two employees that work in Peterborough, Hampson's job often requires him to travel overseas and a typical work week averages between 50 to 60 hours.

A dedicated volunteer and career man his first priority is his wife of 21 years, Patrice, and his two children Carline, 14 and Joe 11.

"Family comes first, work comes second, and the fire department comes third," said Hampson. But when the Fire and Rescue Department answer a call for help, you can be sure Hampson and other highly qualified firemen and rescue works will be responding to the call.

Other awards given at Appreciation night included Explorer of the Year, Brad Winters Jr.

A phone call was made to George Brown, who accepted his service award for 51 years from his sick bed.

Other service awards went to: 35 years: Al Whitney, Total combined 25 years: Bob Berube, David Skerry, Jon Hampson and Brian Wall 20 years: Ron Bowman 10 years: Steve Hobbs and Steve Black, retired, 10 years total combined: Mike Roper, Rich Daughn and Dan Failla Five years, Becky Stanley and Nancy Church Five years total combined, Victoria Zimmerman 1+ year, Ben Schofield Six months: Jim Graham, Mike Folini, Mitch Silverman, Joe Higgins and Stephen Bolduc Combined service awards go to those who have served in other departments as well as in Peterborough.