Greetings all! It seems like we waited for months for summer to make its appearance in earnest, but without a doubt, it showed up and reminded us that Missouri summers can certainly get hot and humid in a hurry. I hope each of you has had an opportunity to step back from your daily grind and enjoy time with family and friends.
Speaking of family and friends, did you have the opportunity to stop in and visit or perhaps work at the Missouri State Fair Fire Department? I had the opportunity to visit the fair several times and I am always impressed with the level of service provided and camaraderie that is apparent with our staff that volunteers to take part in this event. There were several new faces in the group this year and from what I could tell they caught on to the process very quickly and it was obvious many new, but likely lifelong friendships were developed. There was an array of food prepared every day by the kitchen staff and their merry band of assistants so there was no chance anyone walked away hungry. Thank each of you for the part you played in making the fair a success. If you didn’t have the chance to volunteer or at least stop in and visit make a note in your calendar for next August so you don’t miss out.
Fire Marshal Bean was present for several days of the fair and spent time alongside our personnel greeting the visitors to the fair and answered questions and assisted whenever possible. In cooperation with his office, demonstrations were given for the public, showcasing the importance of in-home sprinkler systems. What an eye-opener those demonstrations were for many in the crowd. We look forward to working with the Fire Marshal’s office for many years to come as we deliver the fire safety message.
The Missouri State Fair Fire Department was also visited by several political dignitaries including U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, Missouri Governor Parsons, DPS Director Carsten, and several Missouri State elected officials. Each of the visitors expressed their appreciation for the service being provided and for the fire service as a whole. We always appreciate these visits and look forward to the opportunity to continue the discussions about the issues facing the fire service.
To wrap up my thoughts about the experience, my thanks to Chief RB Brown and his command staff for a job well done. You each provided guidance to those serving and helped to make this another successful year.
Hopefully, you were able to participate in the Patriot’s Day activities in Jefferson City, or perhaps you had the opportunity to participate in another event recognizing the anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11. It is somewhat sad to look back on the instant unity created in our country due to the events of that day and compare that to the many divisions within our country today. All politics aside I just hope you can do all you can to get along with your fellow human beings and make our country a vibrant experience for everyone much like existed in the days following 9/11. May we never experience a tragedy like that again.
The candlelight and memorial services are still slated to take place October 9th and 10th respectively. If you can make time to attend it is a moving experience honoring those of our fire family who are no longer with us. You can check out more about the memorial and the times of the services at our website under the “memorial” tab. I hope to see each of you there.
Fire Prevention Week is coming soon so work with your local schools to submit student posters for the annual poster contest. Not sure what that’s about? Hop on to our website and under the “Committee” tab click on “Fire Prevention” and everything you ever needed to know to have a successful event for the children in your area is there. If you have questions contact one of the committee members listed and they will be happy to help.
Remember as Fall starts to settle in, our public tends to want to burn leaves, have bonfires, and use their in-home fireplaces so if you haven’t pushed a fire safety message in your area in a while, it might just be the opportunity you have been looking for.
We would like to make sure all of our citizens make it through the year healthy and with their possessions intact so do what you can to help them be safe.
I look forward to working with each of you as we continue our journey of making sure we keep FFAM at the forefront of fire service issues in our state and across our nation. Your help along this journey is always valued.
If any of the Board of Directors or I can be of assistance or should you have questions about FFAM business please never hesitate to contact us. We are here to serve and work with each of you. Be Safe!