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Ripon Fire Chief Bitters retirement celebration on First Responder Day
Bitters
Chief Dennis Bitters of the Ripon Consolidated Fire District addresses those in attendance at last year’s First Responder Appreciation Day. A retirement celebration in his honor will follow the April 6 event.

First Responder Appreciation Day 2024 in Ripon will be held on April 6.

Michael Restuccia made that announcement at Tuesday’s Ripon City Council meeting.

The elected leader founded the event in 2017

Since then, the City of Ripon has set aside the first Saturday of each April as First Responder Appreciation Day.

This year’s event will be followed by the retirement celebration of Chief Dennis Bitters of the Ripon Consolidated Fire District.

He’s been with the fire department for the past four decades, starting out as a volunteer firefighter in 1982 and joining the RCFD fulltime in 1990. Bitters, who became fire chief in 2003, has held every rank in the department during his time there.

First Responder Appreciation Day 2024 will once again begin that morning in front of the Ripon Police Department, 259 N. Wilma Ave., with those gathered taking the walk along Main Street to the fire department Station 1 at 142 S. Stockton Ave.

The schedule calls for a short presentation along with refreshments and snacks.

Emergency vehicles will be on display.

Log on to www.facebook.com/RiponFirstRespondersAppreciationDay for more information.