Ralph D. Miller is a Charter Member of the East Corning Fire Department, Inc., having joined the organization during it formative process in 1960. Since that time, he has been a constant presence and influential member of the organization. He served as Chief of the department for 14 years and played a lead role in the design and construction of the original fire house in 1960, the Ray Rhinehart Community Room expansion in 1970, and the addition of a new truck bay in 2009. He is widely and affectionately known as a man who can make or repair anything.

As a sign of respect and appreciation for Ralph’s years of dedicated service, the ECFD Firefighter of the Year Award (which he received in 1972) was renamed the “Ralph D. Miller Firefighter of the Year Award” at the department’s 50th Anniversary celebration in 2010. In 2020, he was again recognized as ECFD’s “Ralph D. Miller Firefighter of the Year” recipient for his 60 years of continuous, dedicated service to the East Corning Fire Department, Inc., and the Community of East Corning.