F.F.A.M.

President’s Remarks – March 2020

Spring is just around the corner according to the groundhog and I am sure all of us are ready for its arrival. It has been a busy winter with many activities we have all attended. I know I am ready for the season to change and for the life to return to the trees and grass and for things to come alive again.

Winter Fire School was a huge success thanks to MU FRTI’s hard work. Thank you for the commitment to educate our emergency service personnel. I did make it to the exposition this year and assisted with the presentation of the MFA Grants to Missouri fire departments. There was a very large crowd and it was a huge success. I attended the Randolph County Fire Awards program honoring all county departments. This is always a great event with great people. I also attended the annual banquet of the Southern Stone County Fire Protection District with awesome people and food. Thank you all for the invitation.

Our annual Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial service is quickly approaching on May 16 at 9:00 p.m. for the Candlelight Service, and May 17 at 10:30 a.m. for the Sunday morning services. Both of our speakers are outstanding advocates of the fire service. 

Please consider this your personal invitation to participate in the honor guard, bag piper, antique fire equipment, and any other task you desire. Just let me know please. The commander for the honor guard again this year is Lieutenant Tracy Gray of the Columbia City Fire Department. Lieutenant Gray did an outstanding job last year. All honor guards and color guards are invited to participate. Please contact Lt. Gray at 573-590-1162 or tlgray@gocolumbiamo.com if you are interested and that you will be attending.

I am still looking for one (1) ladder truck to fly the large flag at the Sunday morning services. If interested, please let me know. Chief Steve Olshwanger from the Maryland Heights Fire Protection District will be providing one of the ladder trucks in honor of his department’s LODD, Chris Moore.

Kearney Fire Protection District is busy putting the final touches on our upcoming Annual Convention on May 1-3, 2020. If you have not done so, please send your registrations in as soon as possible so they can plan accordingly.

Also, if possible, please send your contest registrations in to Gary Berendsen from the Cole County Fire Protection District at gberendzen@ccfpd.net, so everything can be ready for Saturday morning. This will save the Contest Committee a lot of time preparing for the contest on Saturday morning. I hope there are many teams this year competing for the bragging rights as the best in the state. We all have so much fun competing and just being together as a big family.

Again, anyone wishing to participate or help with the Annual Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial service, please contact me at 573-473-4001 or chiefhoover@sbcglobal.net. 

Everyone, please have a great and safe spring. As always, your officers and the board of directors of the FFAM are always available if you have a need. Please contact one for assistance.

Kenneth Hoover
President 
Fire Fighters Association of Missouri