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Wheeling Hospital EMS Presents Horton Award

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., walks through Statuary Hall, during the vote on the Democrat's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WHEELING — The Wheeling Hospital EMS Department awarded the James “Jimmy” Horton Award for 2020 to Brookside Assistant Fire Chief Allan G. Ketzell II.

The Horton Award was started in 2019 after Horton died on Sept. 4 that year. It was established to recognize an active emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician or paramedic who has served at least 25 years and is very active in the community.

Horton served as the Adena mayor and was on Adena Village Council. He also was former fire chief of Adena (currently Short Creek Fire District), a paramedic, a state EMS instructor, coordinator of the Harrison Community Hospital Ambulances, and was involved in numerous other groups and organizations.

Award winner Ketzell joined the Brookside Volunteer Fire Department as a cadet in 1958. Now, 62 years later, he has done it all in one way or another. He is still serving his community today answering calls and continuing to be active in his community and county. A graduate of Bridgeport High School, he became a firefighter and EMT after attending Ohio University and graduating from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. He worked for Wilson Funeral Home in Bridgeport from 1966 to 2007 and served as a funeral director for several years.

He became assistant fire chief in 1976 and served for four years before becoming chief in 1980. In 1987, he stepped back into the assistant chief position, which he still serves today under his son, Fire Chief Allan Ketzell III. He is currently the treasurer of the department and also has held the position of president.

Outside of his fire department duties, Ketzell serves on Brookside Village Council and Bridgeport Schools Safety Committee; is a 25-year member of the Bridgeport Rotary; member of Belmont County Fire & Squad Officers Association, where he served as vice president; a water officer with the Belmont County Tanker Task Force; board member of the East Ohio Regional Transit Authority; a charter 911 board member; and member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Brookside.

Ketzell said he has seen a lot of fires through the years, with one of the biggest being the July 27, 1970, blaze at the Cilles Shopping Center on National Road (current site of Riesbeck’s).

He has fond memories of his former instructors and the valuable knowledge they passed along: Joe Albert (Yorkville), Lou Domian (Yorkville), Tom Absalom (Martins Ferry) and Francis Sebring (Dillonvale).

Ketzell resides in Brookside with his wife of 52 years, Pat. In addition to Allan III, they have a daughter, Dawn Boston, and granddaughter, Claire. His advice to others: “Get involved.”

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