Successful fire school
As I write this month’s article, the 139th Annual South Dakota State Fire School is in progress. With approximately 400 firefighters and another 150 vendors, auxiliary, instructors, and Board members it is another successful fire school.
The quality of the instructors again was top notch. The instructors simply love coming to South Dakota because our firefighters want to learn. I’m told they are eager to learn. We form friendships from all over the country each year. Think you can get better training in another state or wherever? Not likely.
The cooperation from Lake Area Technical College, Watertown Fire Department, City of Watertown, the business community, and the people is beyond words. They love having firefighters in their town because they love their firefighters. As a former Board member, I can’t thank them enough. I’ll try to thank some and miss some I know. First thank you is the Board of the SD Firefighters Association, your dedication to making sure there is a school each year is above and beyond. The SD Firefighters Association Auxiliary for helping so much with vendors and everything else. The vendors who take the time to show their wares. But the biggest thank you goes to you, the ones who took time from being with family, friends, and all the other activities to come to Watertown to learn a little bit more about this thing we call firefighting. Without you it simply wouldn’t happen.
As you are reading this month’s digital paper, it is July. The summer is going full speed. However, don’t forget to take some time to catch your breath, making sure you have your head screwed on straight when the pager goes off. Don’t get sucked into the flames and regret it later. That goes for your life too.
This was a different fire school for me. It was my last fire school as a member of the Board. It is bittersweet. For the past 30 years I have been a part of this annual event as President, Past-president and secretary and/or treasurer. It has been a journey of love. Love to do what I could to help bring high level training to each of you. Love interacting with so many of you. Love when you hear a firefighter tell you how great a class was. Love renewing old friendships and making new friends. The bottom line is simply loving being a part of this family called firefighters. I’ll see you next year, but it will be from the classroom. I actually will get to take a class, I’m excited about that. Thank you to all of you for allowing me to have a small part of this.
I’ll wrap up this month’s article and get it ready to send to the publisher. I’m working on an article for next month and it won’t be from the point of view of a board member. But I’m not going away totally.
Take care, stay safe, hug your family.
Denny Gorton
SDFA Tresurer