Chief Eberle honored for work fighting opioid epidemic

Findlay Fire Chief Joshua Eberle has been presented the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Association's 2020 CARES Award. The honor is presented annually to first responders, frontline workers and community leaders who have gone above and beyond in helping individuals, families and their community navigate the adverse effects of Ohio's opioid and addiction epidemic. As a result of the actions of recipients, lives have been saved; families have been helped; and communities have benefited. Eberle, who was nominated by the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, was one of eight recipients in the state of a CARES Award this year. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 awards have been presented in a series of local activities by the nominating boards. Eberle was presented his award Monday by ADAMHS Director Precia Stuby and Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn. "We are truly excited that our own Chief Eberle has been acknowledged for his dedication to our community and are grateful that he continues to serve our families, friends, and neighbors in such an impactful way," Stuby said. "The annual CARES Awards provide us with a means of acknowledging and thanking the frontline workers and leaders throughout the state who tirelessly serve their communities and show tremendous support for individuals and families impacted by substance use disorders and addiction," said Cheri Walter, CEO of the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Association. "The CARES Awards are presented to those who demonstrate true compassion along with those who are leading efforts to find new and innovative ways to help address this epidemic and discovering ways to help individuals move toward recovery." Eberle is an active member of the Hancock County Opioid and Addictions Task Force, and has served on the Medical and Community Awareness Committees since 2017. He has also served as a board member of ADAMHS since 2018 has worked with Hancock Public Health to promote the use of Narcan and distribution of Project Dawn kits. In nominating Eberle for the award earlier this year, Amber Wolfrom, employer outreach specialist at the Family Resource Center, lauded the fire chief for organizing a full day of self-care training for the Findlay Fire Department which focused on trauma-informed care, secondary traumatic stress and peer support. "Chief Eberle identified a need for his department and gathered necessary resources to make a successful training. The safety net for community services in Findlay and for its citizens were strengthened by the support provided to our fire fighters on the front lines," Wolfrom wrote in Eberle's nomination letter. Eberle has been a firefighter for 21 years. He has been chief since July 2015.