The Nevada County Consolidated Fire District board of directors took time out to recognize two long-standing members Thursday night. Ralph Hitchcock and John Leonard, members of the district’s seven-member board, received certificates, plaques and applause from those gathered at Station 84 in Nevada City. Hitchcock began his career in the firefighting industry as a volunteer firefighter at Gold  Flat Fire Protection District in 1978. He spent nearly 24 years as a board of director and oversaw multiple consolidations of smaller fire departments into the current configuration of Consolidated Fire. “Through his vision, passion, commitment, experience and leadership (and attention to …