The Monmouth Fire Department is recognizing milestone achievements with their personnel. Captain Ryan Armstrong is celebrating 18 years with the department and Captain Ralph Peeler is retiring.
“Captain Ryan Armstrong, he has his 18th year in this year, very happy for him. Connor Talbott is a new firefighter to our department; he actually just started the fire academy last week and he is finishing up his second week this week and so we are very happy to have Connor join us out at the fire department. Captain Ralph Peeler is actually retiring at the end of this month. Very happy for Ralph Peeler to be able to retire. He has 20 years on the fire department and has a long history in the fire service. He is going to be one of those guys that we are losing a lot of experience and knowledge. He was with the Edge Scott Fire Department near the Champaign area for quite a while before he came to us and as long as he has been in the fire service, I know he has been an instructor with the Illinois Fire Service Institute, been involved with the fire fighter peer support, where he is helping to council other fire fighters who are maybe having trouble, he has been with the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois Honor Guard, and helps with ceremonies, and has been a fire investigator for us.”