put in 43 years at OCVFD

By Steve Price Contributing Writer

(July 28, 2023) This week we recognize past vice-president and captain Michael LeCompte for his over 43 years of active service in the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company.

Mike has always enjoyed being active in the community. He has served as a member of the local Lions Club, the American Legion and is currently president of the South Point Association.

Mike retired as a regional loss control consultant for Nationwide Insurance and currently represents J.D. Mellberg Financial as a regional financial retirement advisor. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves assigned to the Ocean City station.

In May of 1987, he was presented the “Outstanding Enlisted Coast Guard Reserve Award” for the United States by Pres. Bill Clinton.

As a teenager, Mike enjoyed responding with his father to fire calls with the volunteer fire company in Cambridge. This early interest in the fire service led LeCompte to earn his emergency medical technician certification at the age of 16 and begin his volunteer firefighting career at the age of 18.

After graduating from college, Mike moved to Ocean City in 1978 and began his career as an Ocean City police officer.

That same year, Mike met his wife, Connie Villani, and found that most of the Villani family was active in the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company.

His father-in-law, the late Tony Villani, shared how much the OCVFC had affected his life and encouraged Mike to join.

Firefighter LeCompte joined the OCVFC on April 15, 1980.

During his years with the fire company he earned his National Firefighter III certification and served as a lieutenant on Engine 703, and lieutenant and then captain on Engine 712.

He also served as vice-president of the company for two years.

Mike was recognized as Member of the Year in 2005 for his extraordinary efforts as chairman for the OCVFC 100th Anniversary celebration. This event, attended by over 500 people at the Ocean City convention center, required almost a year of planning and teamwork for success.

Mike has also been actively involved with the Maryland State Firemen’s Association serving as chairman of the safety committee, a member of the convention committee, and on several other MSFA committees.

He was twice recognized by the MSFA for his efforts to reduce firefighter injuries and deaths through education.

Firefighter LeCompte cites the lightning strike on the beach in August 1986 resulting in the death of an entire family as the most significant event in his firefighting career.

Firefighter Jeff Dieter’s line-ofduty death at the Saute Café fire in 1983 was the hardest to accept.

“A First Responder will not forget some of what they have witnessed and these two incidents are engraved in my heart,” he said.

Mike recalls past Chief Al Harmon saying to the young OCVFC firefighters, “Volunteering makes you feel good because you are doing good for others.”

Firefighter LeCompte has always made the effort to honor that statement from Chief Harmon and sin-