Mercer County WV
Tribute to Tim Farley
Tim Farley, a faithful and dutiful servant to the Lord, his family, Mercer County and the State of West Virginia
About Tim
Bringing Inspiration at Every Turn
Tim was an inspiration to anyone who ever met him. He touched so many lives and it is fitting to continue to honor such a loyal and faithful servant to the Lord, one who served the State of West Virginia, the County of Mercer, his Spanishburg community, and every member of his family
whom he loved with every fiber
of his body and soul.
Wife Debbie Farley, son Lt. Col. Matt Farley, Grandsons, Brady, Andrew and Michael Farley, sisters Martha, Carla and Kim Farley,
the Spanishburg community, the residents of Mercer County, and the State of West Virginia all miss him so very much.
Tim Farley was the Mercer County Emergency Services Director from 2005 to the time of his death. His life was devoted to service through the volunteer fire department and helping in all forms of disaster mitigation and preparedness. Farley was a member of the first class to graduate from the West Virginia Emergency Management Basic Academy in 2019.
Farley also served as the floodplain coordinator for Mercer County, ensuring no structures were placed within the floodplain and making sure mitigation measures were taken to reduce flood damages.
He was extremely helpful to his emergency management counterparts in other counties. Always willing to assist, he traveled through the state to aid fellow emergency managers or assist in an exercise or drill.
Farley graduated from Spanishburg High School where he excelled as an athlete, leading his basketball team to its first ever 20-0 record. He was named to the West Virginia All-State Conference team and later continued his basketball career at Bluefield State College while earning a dual degree in electrical engineering and business management.
He was instrumental in establishing the Bluestone Valley Fire Department, serving as a founding charter member as well as the chief of the fire department until his passing.
Until his last day spent making sure a COVID-19 vaccination clinic ran smoothly, Farley's was a life truly devoted to service.
Tim Farley honored by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and the W.Va. Department of Homeland Security with the 2021 DHS Freedom Award
Awards recognize excellence in emergency management
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice and his Department of Homeland Security are honoring the commitment of county emergency managers with West Virginia Freedom Awards.
Launched in 2020, the awards recognize emergency officials in six categories: lifesaving, innovation, teamwork, perseverance, leadership, and lifetime achievement.
“Through their dedication to service, these men and women are among the first to run to the fire," said Justice. “They have helped lead their county's response through the COVID-19 pandemic while responding to flooding and any other emergencies that arise."
Homeland Security Secretary Jeff Sandy announced the awards during Tuesday's virtual meeting of the West Virginia Emergency Management Council. The 2021 honorees will be given the Freedom Pin, developed by Sandy in 2017.
“With this award, we seek to recognize the commitment of emergency managers who go above and beyond to keep our citizens safe," Sandy said. “The men and women who are called to emergency management spend countless hours preparing for natural and manmade disasters to protect our communities."
DHS coordinates with 55 county and three city emergency management agencies through the Emergency Management Division, overseen by Director G.E. McCabe.
“I am forever grateful to our emergency managers' commitment to service," said McCabe. “Their diligence to assuring the safety of our citizens and communities is made clear through action every day."
About the Freedom Pin
The Freedom Pin honors the brave men and women who have died in the line of duty since the state was formed in 1863. As of December 2021, 140 members of the Department have perished protecting the freedoms of West Virginia's citizens.
Director Tim Farley, Mercer County Office of Emergency Management was awarded the Lifesaving award. Director Farley was the Mercer County Emergency Services Director from 2005 to the time of his death in January 2021. He worked tirelessly as an emergency manager and fire chief to help protect and save the lives of those in Mercer County and across the state.
The Freedom Pin is issued to the families of deceased heroes and to federal, state, county, and city employees and citizens who have excelled in protecting West Virginia from dangers to our way of life due to natural and man-made disasters and threats both foreign and domestic.
THANK YOU TIM
Tim's Story
Tim lived every moment of his live making life better for those around him, putting everyone else above himself.
This page will honor the many selfless contributions made by Tim for Mercer County,
his Spanishburg community, and the State of West Virginia
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Tim's 2021 birthday picnic by his family thanking
his brothers of
the Bluestone Valley Fire Department,
Spanishburg, West Virginia
HAIL TO THE CHIEF
On January 28, 2021, Chief Tim Farley was laid to rest in glorious style by his loving brothers of the Bluestone Valley Volunteer Fire Department. Tim loved being the leader of the fire department and was instrumental in its establishment to serve Spanishburg, the community he lived in and loved his entire life. As a founding charter member of the Bluestone Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Tim was honored to serve as chief from almost the fire department's establishment until his passing in 2021 while also serving diligently as Mercer County's Director of Emergency Services and as Manager of the county's flood plain.
This remembrance of Tim on his birthday was presented as a 'thank you' in humble appreciation to the members of the BVVFD for their bravery, service, kindness, and strength during a most difficult time by the family of Tim Farley.
Meet the Bluestone Valley Fire Department
Bluestone Valley Fire Department is located in Spanishburg, West Virginia and founded on June 11, 1993. Tim Farley was instrumental and a founding charter member of this department. The commitment was dedicated to the community to prevent and extinguish fires and to protect the lives of the residents and visitors of our community while preserving their property. Since 1993, times have changed and many members have come and gone but our commitment to the community is as strong as it was when we started. We are neighboring departments with Athens, East River, Matoaka, and Ghent. When called, we work closely with these departments and they do the same for ours. While we have a rather large coverage area, most of our area is rural with a few miles of I-77 being covered in Mercer County. Through the past, we feel we have made a positive impact on the community and plan to carry that tradition on into the future.
