Jimmy Ellis Firefighter Foundation conducts second annual training weekend
CRANBERRY TWP — Those who knew the late Jimmy Ellis described him as humble, with an unwavering passion for fire training.
Before dying of an illness in 2022 at the age of 49, Ellis served as a City of Pittsburgh fire captain and vice president of the Adams Area Fire District.
To honor his life and contributions to the area, members of the local firefighting community banded together to form the Jimmy Ellis Firefighter Foundation to raise awareness of the importance of regular training.
The organization kicked off its second annual training weekend at the Pittsburgh Marriott North hotel in Cranberry Township on Friday morning.
“He was very humble and was just one of us,” Adams Area Fire District President and Jimmy Ellis Foundation President Jason Safreed said of his friend. “He touched a lot of people, and everybody knew how much he loved training. He would not like his name on everything, but he would definitely be happy that we’re using his name for training.”
The three-day event, held in coordination with the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association, brought more than 300 firefighters and instructors from across the country.
Friday’s schedule included five lectures directed by a contingent of 20 instructors. Over the weekend, attendees will have the opportunity to take “hot classes,” or live training, at various facilities around Butler and Allegheny counties.
“It definitely speaks to Jimmy’s legacy as an individual, a leader and a fire man,” said Scott Fredrick, president of the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association, of how special it is to bring firefighters together in a tribute to Jimmy. “He was able to influence and set the example of what training should be and how to make it meaningful, which is what we’ve tried to do.
“Jimmy would want us to bring in anybody that has the ability to train people and make effective change.”
The foundation, which was established in February 2023, is spearheaded by six board members, including Jimmy Ellis’ wife, Cathy.
She said she’s extremely grateful for the turnout at the event, which will go a long way toward potentially saving lives in the future.
“It’s actually very humbling that this many people respected him, looked up to him and really thought he knew a lot about the fire service,” said Cathy Ellis. “The support is amazing. It takes a village not only to raise a family, but also raise a fire family. Everybody has come together to do that.”
The collaboration between fire departments is critical, and it’s one of the main benefits of having a plethora of firefighters learning together.
Participants can gain knowledge on a variety of topics, including different ways to stretch hoses, different techniques for putting out fires and new ways for vehicle extraction.
“It’s good to get multiple viewpoints and techniques from different people,” said Tim Iman, a firefighter with the Butler Bureau of Fire. “Having guys come in from all over the country and teaching this type of stuff, it puts a lot more tools in the toolbox for us.”
All of the funds raised from those in attendance and sponsors will go toward paying for the event and an scholarship award given out in Jimmy Ellis’ name.
The Jimmy Ellis Firefighter Foundation has already announced plans for its third annual training event, set for next August, on its Facebook page.
