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NTVFD officially one year old
by Dave Hull, Chief

 

February 07, 2005
Monday


On behalf of the North Tongass Fire and EMS Service Area Board of Directors and the North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department I would like to thank all of you for the support and assistance this past year. On February 1, 2005 NTVFD officially turned one year old.


jpg anniversary ntvfd

Chief Hull and NTVFD BOD Member and volunteer firefighter Steve Philips
cut the party cake with a fire axe. Kids don't try this at home.
Photo courtesy Dave Hull

The first year is a traditional right of passage time frame in the fire service. In most situations with the passage of their "probation" comes a realization that the person, or in this case the organization, is here to stay. The "rookie" is a little more matured and their future is a little more established and focused. If NTVFD were a "probationary member" we would have gotten our badge Tuesday night.

We could not have achieved this milestone without the assistance of a number of individuals and groups in the community. Chief Rich Leipfert, Ketchikan Fire Department; former Chief Scott Davis and interim Mark Malone of South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department, and members of both departments were of immense help through out the building process and continue to assist us in anyway they can. The Borough Staff, lead by Roy Eckert, along with Mayor Mike Salazar and the Borough Assembly have done an incredible amount of work for the department and has continually made decisions regarding NTVFD that are in the best interests of the citizens of the North Tongass area.


jpg ntvfd group

Members of the North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department pose for a group picture at the Anniversary celebration Tuesday night at Station 6, 7332 NTH.
Photo courtesy Dave Hull


Most of all I would like to thank all the volunteer and career department members who have dedicated long hours of their time to devote to training and emergency response. I would also like to acknowledge the families of the volunteers and the employers who allow our emergency responders the opportunity to respond. To place a monitory value on the participation of the volunteer responders would very difficult to do. Suffice it to say that the cost associated with enjoying the same level of response under a full career system would be one that this community simply could not afford.


jpg firefighters

Members of all three island fire departments fought a tough
fire in the Shoreline area recently.
Photo courtesy Dave Hull


It is encouraging to note that all the departments are working closer than ever before to ensure the best possible response to emergencies wherever they might be. This level of cooperation not only provides for a higher level of safety for all involved it also provides a higher level of response in the most cost efficient manner. Both of which are of great value to the citizens we have all dedicated our hard work to protect.

Thanks to everyone for your help, understanding and continued support,

Dave Hull, Chief
North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department
Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

 

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