After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Jeffco Fire Engine Rally returned. The 27th annual rally was Saturday, September 25, at the Herculaneum City Park and sponsored by the Jefferson County Firefighters Association. The fall weather was perfect for the event. The annual event attracted firefighters, children, and festivalgoers from across the state.
As in the past, this year’s rally kicked off with a parade of 30-plus emergency apparatus traveling from Crystal City to the city park in Herculaneum, where the apparatus remained on static display throughout the day.
Following the parade, an opening ceremony and memorial were held and included the remembrance of the men and women associated with the Jefferson County fire service who passed away during the previous two years. The fallen were honored by having their names read aloud, their date of death, and their department, followed by a single ring of the memorial bell. Individuals remembered this year included: Delmas E. “Bud” Becker, Herculaneum Fire Department; Charles F. Bieser, Hillsboro Fire Protection District; Roy R. Bohle, Cedar Hill Fire Protection District; David A. Brewer, Mapaville Fire Protection District; Imogene Brust, Dunklin Fire Protection District; Charles “Jerry” DeClue, DeSoto Fire Department; Keith A. DeClue, Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District; Donnell E. Hayes, Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District; Harold E. Hurtgen, Hillsboro Fire Protection District and Hematite Fire Protection District; Richard “Dick” King, Hillsboro Fire Protection District; Kenneth E. Marler, Herculaneum Fire Department; William F. McCabe, Cedar Hill Fire Protection District; Richard A. Miller, North Jefferson County Ambulance District; Robert Oberle, Festus Fire Department; Gary L. Peterein, Mapaville Fire Protection District; A. Eugene Rolfe, Dunklin Fire Protection District; Brian K. Rudy, Hillsboro and Goldman Fire Protection District and Valle Ambulance District; Ronald Siebert, Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District; Eldon “Bud” Smith, DeSoto Fire Department; Eric Smooth, Hillsboro Fire Protection District; David L. Wiehland, Cedar Hill Fire Protection District; James C. Voss, Goldman Fire Protection District; Ronald W. Wehlage, Jr., DeSoto Rural Fire Protection District; Walter D. Wolk, Mapaville Fire Protection District; and Jules C. Zimmerman, Rock Community Fire Protection District.
A moment of silence in remembrance of the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, was included. Members of the Jefferson County Firefighters Association Color Guard presented the flags before the Opening Ceremony.
As part of the opening ceremony, the annual Jefferson County Awards were presented to individuals and departments selected by an awards committee from the submitted nominations. The annual Jefferson County Firefighter and EMS awards were as follows: Chief Fire Officer of the Year Assistant Chief Jay Wolk of the Mapaville Fire Protection District; Paramedic of the Year James Shoffstall, Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District; and EMS Life Saving Award, T. J. Phillips and Spencer Portell of the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District.
The opening ceremony also included the introduction and presentation of plaques to the Rally grand marshal and junior grand marshal. Retired Fire Inspector James Goebel of the Rock Community Fire Protection District was honored as grand marshal. Landon Wilson of Hillsboro, MO, represented the Midwest Children’s Burn Camp and Burns Recovered Support Group of St. Louis as the junior grand marshal. The O’Fallon Fire Protection District provided transportation for the grand marshal, and Todd Mahn of DeSoto transported the junior grand marshal during the parade.
State Fire Marshal Tim Bean presented an award and two challenge coins to Austin Hill of Herculaneum. He was honored and recognized for his efforts in saving a woman from a Herculaneum residential fire that occurred in July of 2021.
Other awards presented at the rally included the following apparatus winners:
• Best Overall Antique: Todd Mahn of DeSoto
• Newest Apparatus in Service: Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District
• Oldest Apparatus in Service: Irondale Fire Protection District
• Best Overall – Current Apparatus: Hematite Fire Protection District
• Best Aerial Apparatus: Crystal City Fire Department
• Best Pumper Apparatus: Dunklin Fire Protection District
• Best Overall Ground Cover Apparatus: Hematite Fire Protection District
• Best Rescue Apparatus: Midway (IL) Fire Protection District
• Best Tanker Apparatus: Goldman Fire Protection District
• Best Lettering and Detailing: Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District
• Best Overall EMS Vehicle: Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District
• Heritage Apparatus Award: Missouri State Fair Volunteer Fire Department
• Farthest Traveled: Doe Run Fire Department
• Judge’s Award: Tobin Nott of Barnhart
The annual rally features fire-rescue demonstrations each year, and the 27th rally was no different. The Crystal City Fire Department and St. Louis Fire Sprinkler Alliance presented a side-by-side demonstration comparing fire suppression with and without a sprinkler system. Sentinel Emergency Solutions demonstrated a vehicle extrication.
There were three firefighter competitions at the rally, an ax-throwing contest, donning PPE relay, and a firefighter challenge. Two firefighter teams participated in each. Members of the Crystal City Fire Department took first place in all three and the overall competition award.
For the third year in a row, there was a dalmatian contest. Seven entries participated in six categories. Medals went to first and second place in the following categories: Most Spots, Fewest Spots, Largest Dalmatian, Smallest Dalmatian, Best Dressed Dalmatian, and Best Dalmatian Trick. Dalmatian participants included: Daisy, Molly, and Ember, owned by Gary Moore; Chief and Demi, owned by Ashley Gravitt; and Axe and Ember, owned by Anna and James Whittley.
As in the past, this year’s rally included numerous activities for children, including a bounce house and an inflatable slide, a photo booth, face-painting, balloon artist, firefighter-themed games, a fire safety house, and a scavenger hunt. The Shekinah Masonic Lodge 256 and the Joachim Masonic Lodge 164 held their MoChip child identification program. The Jefferson County Health Department distributed and fitted bicycle helmets for the children in attendance.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol had their roll-over/seat belt demonstrator available for those in attendance to view.
The Jefferson County Firefighters Association would like to thank all the vendors, equipment sales, and food vendors for participating in this year’s rally. A big thank you goes out to the sponsors of the event and to those who attended.
Mark your calendars! The Twenty-Eighth JeffCo Fire Engine Rally will be on Saturday, September 24, 2022, in Herculaneum.
FFAM
