The Community Guy with A Servant's Heart

By Karen McConnell-Jones

It has been said that becoming a Fire Fighter is an exceptional field of work to pursue. It takes focus leadership and perseverance to have a successful career in this field. However, to be successful in this line of work, one must have a mindset and/or desire to selflessly and sacrificially put their life on the line in order to be a servant to their community. It is no doubt about their servant's heart, along with, their great tenacity and their sense of understanding of the people in which they serve

Vision & Purpose (V&P) Community Magazine is pleased to feature our Community Guy of Forest Park, Cincinnati This Community Guy volunteers his time and service out of the kindness of his heart, as he takes pride in assisting and communicating with others in his community. He is sincerely known for his servant's heart is truly contagious and has a positive effect on all who are around him. He is the person you can count on, as he is always there giving a helping hand and doing whatever it takes for the betterment of his community! We can truly say this is what you will find in our Community Guy,

Jermaine L Hill

Meet Our Community Guy

Jermaine L Hill began his career as a firefighter with the City of Forest Park in the year 2000. He obtained his paramedic license in July 2001 He earned the distinction of Firefighter of the Year in 2002; the same year he was named the city’s Fire Prevention Officer. Jermaine earned the Leadership in the Fire Service Award from Shriner’s Hospital in February 2009 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2012. In 2014, he was the recipient of the Community Spirit Award from the Winton Woods School District and was also chosen as Ohio’s Fire Safety Educator of the Year. In large part, due to his work in the community, he was appointed as Assistant Fire Chief in 2015.

Jermaine received his Associate’s of Science degree from Raymond Walter’s College for Office Assistant – Medical, in 1995 He received his Bachelor of Science from Northern Kentucky University in the study of Office Systems Technology and Business Education in 1999. In 2011, Jermaine completed the five-year leadership curriculum of the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute. He has completed many tactical and community education courses both locally and nationally. He is a level II Fire and Life Safety Educator – a distinction held by less than fifty in the state of Ohio. In 2016, he completed the distinguished three-year Ohio Fire Executive program through the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association

Jermaine expresses his passion for his work while sharing the history of his humble beginnings. “I like being a firefighter, yet, my true passions are teaching, safety, giving access to resources, forming relationships (although I’m an introvert), and having fun. I grew up in the mid to lower-class areas in Cincinnati: Walnut Hills, Avondale, and Evanston; I hung out in neighborhoods Winton Terrace, and Bond Hill I graduated from Woodward While being a suburb, Forest Park has demographics similar to Cincinnati - race, income, poverty, employment, etc. Far too often communities with those demographics have issues with health and many times it stems from a lack of education, limited food choices, limited fitness options, lack of access to grants and programs, limited income, etc. Similar barriers. I feel I was placed here to remove those barriers and give my wonderful community members in Forest Park increased chances for success.”

Jermaine continues to share “I have been a me the Chair of WeThrive, I have seen our growth. Ini out partners to help with our initiatives; now potent initiatives (which is GREAT)! We also hired a which has given our community more access to resources in the form of grants and/or healthy programming. It seems as if it’s all coming together. Our community is receiving the equality and equity it needs, wants, and deserves. However, I do feel that some organizations unknowingly/unwittingly exploit negative aspects of neighborhoods in order to justify their own programs. They show statistics that don’t give a “complete” picture of a community. More often than not, the statistics are well-intended, but they can frame and give a negative impact on how a given community is viewed, if not fact-checked, or if it’s allowed to be unnecessarily prominent. This is why we must do our due diligence in order to give our community responsible and reasonable care.”

Jermaine has received many awards and citations throughout his career and for his volunteer services. Yet, he is humble at heart for all the recognition he receives for his hard work and dedication. As he truly treasures receiving the Community Champion award for the second time two years ago. He also received the Theodore E. Smith Award from the LifeCenter Organ Donor Network for being an advocate for organ donations. Most may not know he serves as the local Kiwanis Vice President for the Greenhills-Forest Park communities And for his fun/professional side, he loves to DJ. It started out playing records/CDs for his kid’s schools and it just took off from there Jermaine has done international parties, hip-hop clubs, weddings, bat mitzvahs, etc., don’t be surprised if you see him at your next big event!

Jermaine is a visionary, as he believes in making the vision plain and understanding what the landscape is going to be and what the time frame is going to look like. This is what gives you purpose to put the steps in place to accomplish the vision Jermaine’s inspiration comes from being a Christ-follower first and foremost. He is a loving husband and dedicated father; An avid fan of ALL things Cincinnati (especially the Bengals) and Forest Park. His hobbies include walking his dog; working out inconsistently (the struggle is real), eating pizza, hanging with friends/family, and tossing the football “I still have a cannon for an arm…after I warm up.” Smiles!!!

In closing, Jermaine leaves us by saying “I’m living proof of God’s grace and glory. If I can achieve my goals, anyone can. I come from modest beginnings. We were poor, but I didn’t know because my family didn’t focus on what we didn’t have. My friends and I created or had fun wherever we were. Be thankful and grateful especially when times are tough. I’ve always been blessed to have a good core group of friends/family/associates…waaaaaaay better than I’ve ever deserved. I have no way to pay it back, so I pay it forward My advice to everyone is to be a blessing to someone, lead with love, smile, mentor, and enjoy life. Never be afraid to ask questions. Always listen intently and never rush to judgment. Pay attention to what’s NOT being said. Be a thinker as well as a giver.”

Well said, by our very wise Community Guy. We have truly been enlightened and we can really see why Jermaine’s spirit is so infectious. Amen!