Message from the Treasurer

   Happy Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and Happy Birthday to anyone whose most important day is this month. Hopefully this helped to make your day. 

   If you noticed, I’m sure most of you didn’t, this month’s title is “Message from the Treasurer.” So yep, that means there will be something here about money. To all the departments that have paid their 100% Membership dues and those Department Only, thank you. You have really gotten with it this year and paid quickly. A number of departments took advantage of paying online and that works too. If your department has not paid any dues, please check, and ask why? I will be sending out a 2nd dues notice very soon, or you may have gotten it already. It’s never too late to provide all the benefits that membership has. Don’t leave your firefighters out to dry.

   Sadly, for the South Dakota fire service 2022 was not a good year for our fellow firefighters who died accidently. We all have a heavy heart. Your SD Firefighters Assn. assisted in processing five AD&D claims this past year. The money of course will never replace the hurt or feelings, but sometimes the family was unaware that there was even a policy in effect, and they have expressed their thankfulness there was. We all can only ask to take a few minutes each day and say a prayer for each family. 

   Not to continue with a heavy heart, but the recent passing of Bobby Halton, Editor in Chief of Fire Engineering magazine left a huge hole in the entire fire service. FDIC became what it is with so much of Chief Halton’s driving force. If you were fortunate enough to attend FDIC and listen to him, you were engulfed in his thoughts. If you have never listened to one of his speeches look it up on any social media thing and I’m sure you will be inspired or reinspired. You owe it to yourself. Rest in peace Chief Halton. 

   Mark your calendars for State Fire School in Watertown for June 16 & 17. This is a week later this year as the Lake Area Tech school had some new student orientation the week before. We know that this sometimes makes a change, but the LATC has so much to offer for training facilities we couldn’t pass it up. Instructors are being contracted and so many of the other pieces are falling into place. The SDFA Board met in mid-January and put a lot more finishing touches on fire school. So, it should be another great school. 

   I’ll make one more plea for anyone who would like to consider becoming the secretary and/or treasurer of this great organization. It truly has it rewards and they are too numerous to mention here. There should be a revised job description for both positions and a pay range on our webpage at www.sdfirefighters.org. Yep, that’s right you even get paid. It not a full-time commitment but could be just what you’re looking for to fill some time and feel good about it. 

   I’ll close for now, have to get those membership dues processed so I can get your membership cards to you.

   Take care, be safe and remember, someone loves you.

Denny Gorton,

SDFA Treasurer

 

 

Blaze Publications, Inc.

Jeff Gargano - Editor
P.O. Box 122
Humboldt, IA 50548
jeff@blazepublicationsinc.com

News and Advertising: News and advertising deadlines are the 15th of each month for the next month's issue.

 

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