Horizon Biofuels Scene
stabilized and turned over to the appropriate authorities for continued assessments.
As of
At this time, there is still smoldering inside of the concrete
tower that potentially will cause smoke. Due to the construction of the tower, those hot embers will not be able to be extinguished. Fire crews will respond
The Grain Bin Rescue Agri-Vac by Walinga is designed to rapidly remove grain from around an entrapped victim, increasing survival chances and minimizing risk to rescuers. With powerful suction and efficient operation, it’s a must-have tool for fire departments and rescue teams in agricultural communities.
back to the area for significant changes; however, the public may see smoke from the tower. Fremont Rural Fire Department and the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to monitor the smoldering.
The only road closure that is still in place is Union Street from Cloverly Road to just north of the Horizon Biofuels property. All businesses that were previously affected by the road closures are back to operating in the area. We would like to thank surrounding businesses as they worked with first responders to negotiate closures.
We would also like to thank Jayhawk Boxes and their willingness to provide a space for the Mobile Command Unit that was provided by the Nebraska State Patrol.
At this time, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office and OSHA are continuing their investigation, any further media requests can be directed to them.
We would like to thank all the agencies involved including Fremont Police Department, Fremont Fire Department, Fremont Rural Fire Department, Saunders
County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, Nickerson Fire, North Bend Fire Department, Hooper Fire Department, Arlington Fire Department, Waterloo Fire Department, Valley Fire Department, Cedar Bluffs Fire Department, Scribner Fire Department, Mead Fire Department, Dodge County Emergency Management, Nebraska Game and Parks, Fremont Department of Utilities, Fremont Rural Fire Auxiliary, the City of Fremont, Nebraska Emergency Management, Nebraska Task Force 1 and the Governor’s Office.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the community for the overwhelming support and generosity shown during the largescale emergency response. Your donations, kind words, and acts of kindness meant the world to our first responders, who worked tirelessly to ensure everyone’s safety. Thank you for standing with us during this critical time. Our office would like to offer our sincerest condolences to the family of the victims. The family has requested privacy during this time.
Upcoming Events Upcoming Events
Email your Upcoming Event by the 10th of the previous month (ex. Aug. 10 for the September issue) to jeff@ne- braskafirefighter.com . There is no charge.
SEPT. 5, 2025: The Nebraska Forest Service’s Forest Festival Family Fun Night, 4-7:30 p.m., 2106 Horning Rd., Plattsmouth. SEPT. 12-14, 2025: Engine Academy at Gering - This is a great opportunity to obtain additional signatures in your task books.
SEPT. 13, 2025: Syracuse Volunteer Fire Department’s Pancake Breakfast, 7-10 a.m., Otoe Fire Barn, free will donation, goes to purchasing new equipment.
SEPT. 19-20, 2025: Tekamah Fire Rescue’s Bring Meat to Smoke Event, as part the of the Fireman’s Picnic, Meat drop off Friday, Sept. 19, 5-7 p.m., meat pick up – Saturday, Sept. 20, 5:30 p.m.
SEPT. 20, 2025: McCool Volunteer Fire Department 3rd Annual Rib Cookoff, all you can eat ribs at 5 p.m., Main Street, McCool. Free will donation, all proceeds go to McCool Volunteer Fire Department. Team info – Judges turn in at 3 p.m. Live Music by The Blue Collar Band. Contact Adam Beck to sign up 402-724-8030.
SEPT. 20, 2025: 4th Annual Dannebrog Volunteer Fire Department’s Two Person Best Ball Golf Scramble, 18 holes, $150 per team of two, includes a sack lunch, bring your own drinks. Golf carts and ATVs are welcome. Limited carts available for rent, flag prizes. For registration by phone, questions or sponsorship, please contact Terry Webb 308-750-3317.
SEPT. 20, 2025: Wallace Fire Department’s Goat Roping, NE of ball field, Wallace. Enter at 1 p.m. roping starts at 1 p.m., $20 entry – pick one and draw one. Kids dummy roping, ages 0-6 and 7-12, buckles given to each category.
SEPT. 21, 2025: Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial Service at Kearney (Museum & Ed. Center). Time: 2 p.m. (Meet at Holiday Inn in the event of rain)
OCT. 9, 2025: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, West Nebraska Regional Airport (Annual Meeting).
OCT. 16-18, 2025: NSVFA Annual Conference, Kearney. DEC. 6, 2025: Dakota City Fire Department’s Winter Craft/ Vendor Show, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 208 S. 21st St., Dakota City. JAN. 8, 2026: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, West Nebraska Regional Airport (Annual Meeting).
MAR. 21, 2026: 10th Annual Nebraska Fire Chiefs Association, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Holthus Convention Center, 3130 Holen Ave., York, NE. Speaker will be Chief Doug Cline.
APR. 9, 2026: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, Alliance.
MAY 15-17, 2026: 2026 Nebraska Fire School.
JULY 9, 2026: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, Banner County.
OCT. 8, 2026: Scotts Bluff County Mutual Aid Association Meeting, Bayard.
By Dodge County Sheriff’s Office
July 31, 2025, the scene at Horizon Biofuels has now been
Frame by Frame Firefighting
By COLE KLEINWOLTERINK
In sports, elite athletes are often called “students of the game.” They don’t just practice and then score touchdowns on Sundays. These professionals are also studying film from games and practice, analyzing their own performance and their opponents to gain an edge. Players like Peyton Manning or Ray Lewis became legendary not just for their physical talent, but for the hours they spent breaking down plays to refine their strategy and execution. Firefighting, much like football, is a team-driven, highstakes profession that can benefit from the same approach.
We already know the value of fireground footage. Helmet cams and rig-mounted GoPros have been used to review tactics, decision-making, and crew performance. But because of privacy, liability, and agency policy concerns, especially when victims or patients are involved, recording actual incidents must be done carefully and within your agency’s guidelines. Although there is great benefit to this footage, this article isn’t about filming emergency scenes, instead, it focuses on a vastly underused tool: recording training drills. While training will always carry some artificiality compared to the real thing, it’s where we build muscle memory, decision-making habits, and crew coordination. Adding video to that process can change the way firefighters see their performance, identify areas for growth, and sharpen both their technical and mental game.
There are a variety of camera options for capturing training. Fire service–specific helmet cameras, like Fire Cam, are built to handle heat and smoke better than standard consumer models. Many firefighters prefer them over action cameras like,
GoPros, for interior firefighting because of their heat resistance and durability, although I will say that I personally had luck using GoPros in both live fire and non-live-fire training environments. One other advantage of the action camera is that they are great for mounting in various spots, such as on an SCBA shoulder strap using a backpackstyle mount or on the side of a vehicle or training tower, using a magnetic mount. Even if you don’t own a purpose-built action camera, a simple smartphone placed in a location that captures the entire drill can be effective. Some thermal imaging cameras (TICs) also allow for video recording, which can be especially valuable in low-visibility environments, whether using real or artificial smoke. In the end, the best camera is the one that accurately captures the drill and fits the training environment—now let’s explore why it’s worth putting it to use.
SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
On emergency scenes, time perception can be distorted, and memories of events can be incomplete or biased. Even in training, with lower stress and more control, this still happens. Video removes that distortion, giving firefighters an exact record of what happened, how fast (or slow) it unfolded, and where adjustments are needed. Take mask-up times as an example. A firefighter might clock an impressive 10 second maskup during a calm, stand-alone skill practice, but in a full-speed evolution, after stretching a line and forcing a door, their maskup takes over a minute. That’s not failure, it’s just the current operational reality. But by seeing this on camera, they now have accurate data to work from and can train accordingly. Perhaps
when performing future mask-up drills they will first elevate their heart rate with physical activity before mask-uping to simulate real conditions.
Self-Critique and Additional Perspectives
Motivated firefighters are often their own toughest critics. Video lets them see their performance from other perspectives, rather than just from the narrow perspective of their own role. A nozzle firefighter, company officer, and engineer will have three different perspectives of how a line stretch went, but watching the footage together reveals the full picture: hose layout, crew positioning, communication, and task sequencing. Just as a football team reviews game film, reviewing drill footage allows firefighters to spot nuances they may have missed in the moment: kinks or pinch points that slowed the advance, inefficient movements, or opportunities to shave seconds off critical tasks. From
my experience, this outsidelooking-in perspective is one of the fastest ways to improve. Better Debriefs, Better Drills
Some of the best training debriefs happen when crews watch themselves on screen. Often, the review becomes firefighter-led, with members asking questions, proposing solutions, and discussing small details that make a big difference. Video is unbiased and it shows both the strong points and the mistakes without the haze of adrenaline or memory gaps. More importantly, it guides future training and many times motivates crews for training. More times than once, after a video debrief, the crew decided to perform the same drill to try something that they discussed in the debrief.
As firefighters we are great at finding mistakes. But to be clear, video isn’t just for finding faults, it’s also a powerful tool for positive reinforcement. Company officers can use it to highlight
strong teamwork, smooth execution, and effective decision-making.
Recognizing what’s done well builds confidence, reinforces good habits, and boosts morale. That said, recording drills requires a supportive training culture. If video becomes a “gotcha” tool used to embarrass or one-up, it will backfire. A culture where training is viewed as a place to make mistakes, try new approaches, and learn is necessary whether you are recording it or not. Training is NOT a test, it is preparation. When used in the right environment, video can be a safe, unbiased coach. It helps firefighters visualize how they operate, compare that to how they think they operate, and close any gap that may exist.
Professional athletes don’t just practice then show-up on game day, rather, they watch the tape, learn from it, and adjust accordingly. As professionals in our industry, firefighters can benefit in doing the same. Recording drills transforms the training ground into our own film room, where every evolution becomes an opportunity to think more clearly, act more decisively, and perform more effectively when then tones drop.
Cole Kleinwolterink is a member of the Waukee Fire Department, Granger Fire Department, and Fire Science instructor at Des Moines Area Community College. Feel free to reach out to him at kleinwolterinkc@gmail. com with any questions, comments or inquiries.
Body mounted camera.
Stationary camera of whole drill.
Training Division
Part-time instructor Spotlight Training Division
Part-time instructor Spotlight
The Training Division of the State Fire Marshal’s agency would like to spotlight part-time instructor Mathew Meyer. Meyer began his fire service journey with Ashland Fire Department in 2004. He has also been involved with Ashland Rescue, Elkhorn FD and is currently a captain with the Omaha Fire Department, but still volunteers with Ashland Fire and Rescue. In addition to work with Omaha, Meyer is also a member of the Urban Search & Rescue – Nebraska Task Force-1 (NETF-1) and is also a member the Nebraska-Helicopter Search and Rescue Team.
Meyer has held many positions during his 21-year time with the fire service including; assistant chief, captain, training officer, association president & vice-president; fire apparatusengineer, captain and acting battalion chief. Meyer began teaching with the Training Division in 2016 in the East Region with
Darin Lintner. Outside of work, Matt enjoys playing basketball, golfing and traveling when given the chance.
According to Meyer, one of the benefits to being part of NETF-1 is the opportunity for specialized training including technician level training in Confined Space, Rope Rescue, Trench Rescue, Structural Collapse, HazMat, Machinery and Auto extrication.
As a member of NETF-1, Meyer was recognized with the Governors challenge coin in appreciation of NETF-1 response and victim recovery in the recent Fremont explosion and the flooding in Kerr County, TX.
Meyer has also received multiple code save awards and civilian appreciation acknowledgements while with Omaha Fire Department.
When asked what he enjoys most in teaching for the Training Division Meyer shared the following; “I enjoy helping pass on what I have learned and
watching students become employees within the fire service. The training division is a great way to see the up and coming firefighters and to personally interact with them on a mentor/coaching level. It is also rewarding knowing that any location across the state the training division is full of amazing instructors with a wide array of knowledge and abilities and we can always come together as a team”.
Please share with me an experience in teaching for the Training Division Meyer shared the following; “Every experience I have had with the TD has been memorable, from all of the instructors to the leadership of the TD. Working among agencies from the local level, state level, and Federal level, from volunteer to career- and partaking in numerous classes and certifications- It allows me to better connect with students. Running into students later in life and them
Fire as a Weapon (F0756) Course
SFM – Training Division Course Announcement
The Training Division of the State Fire Marshal’s Office will be hosting the following National Fire Academy direct delivery course: FIRE INVESTIGATIONS: FIRE AS A WEAPON (F0756)
WHEN: Oct. 4-5, 2025
WHERE: Papillion Fire Department, 10727 Chandler RD, LaVista, NE
COST: No cost for National Fire Academy Class
COURSE DESCRIPTION: First time offering of this brand new course in Nebraska!
This 2-day course presents a basic overview of how fire is used as a weapon. This includes an overview of the history of ar-
son, motivating factors behind intentional fire-setting, and how firefighters and first-arriving law enforcement can assist fire investigators through the actions they take at the fire scene. The course will stress the concept of first responders as an integral part of fire investigation and will cover basics for active listening; interviewing; and recognizing, preserving and collecting (when absolutely necessary) potential evidence.
The course incorporates facilitated, student-centered methodologies, including lecture, small and large group activities and individual assessments.
https://nebraskasfmtd.ne.gov/ Courses/Courses_Avail.aspx
Once on this page, click on NFA-DD at the top and then click on “register” for the course you are interested in.
PLEASE REMEMBER: The NFA has a policy that there must be a minimum of 15 students registered for a course 40 days in advance of the start of the class in order to give the class approval so please register EARLY.
Mathew Meyer remembering who I was is a sign that I made an impact and impression in their life”. The Training Division appreciates the great work Meyer’s gives in teaching and testing the fire service of Nebraska.
Departed Firefighters Departed Firefighters
Dave Shively
It is with a very heavy heart that Ralston Volunteer Fire & Rescue announces the passing of Retired Member Dave Shively. His loss leaves a deep void that can never be replaced.
Dave joined the Ralston Volunteer Fire Department in 1966 and served until his retirement in 1983. Even after retiring, he remained actively involved with the department in many different capacities. One of his most notable roles was serving as the Honor Guard Commander and a proud member of the Honor Guard since its inception in 2002. Dave faithfully served the department for 59 years.
heart Dave was a fierce competitor on the Water Fighting Grounds.
Many of the trophies in our meeting room and dayroom bare Dave’s name, earned through hardfought battles.
Dave could be seen for many years proudly driving our 1924 Ford Model T in the annual 4th of July Parade. In February 2017, he became the 9th recipient of the department’s highest honor, the Pete Petersen Award.
to beat for the Top Responder Award. Because of his unwavering dedication and commitment to the department and community, in 2022 the department proudly named the Top Responder Award in his honor. Dave was a tough and devoted servant of this department, and that recognition brought him genuine joy and emotion.
The fire whistle has sounded once more, this time calling Dave home. He has answered his final call, joining the many great members of RVFD who have gone before him. We know they are watching over us together. Dave wouldn’t want us to be sad. He would want us to continue to answer the call, carry on what he loved, and live by the ex-
ample he set during his 59 years of service. The red Ralston Fire & Rescue rigs will keep rolling, lighting up the streets he called home. We may be one man short, but he’ll always be in the driver’s seat watching over us.
Dave passed away on July 23, 2025 with his funeral being on July 30, 2025.
Over those decades, there are countless memories of Dave and his selfless service to RVFD and the City of Ralston. He held the position of 1st Assistant Fire Chief, the second-highest rank in the department. In his younger years though always young at
Dave was a kind, approachable, and gentle man who loved nothing more than serving his community. Everyone knew Dave Shively in their own special way whether through his work as a City Employee, Auctioneer, Truck Driver, Neighbor, or many other roles. Many members would consider him the heart of Ralston Fire and Rescue.
Whether it was 2 a.m. or in the bitter cold of winter at a house fire, Dave was always there. He pushed young members to be their best and was often the one
Smokey sez Smokey Sez
By BOB HECKMAN
This month’s article is dedicated to the memory of Frank Torczon, Duncan Vol. Fire Dept., 1/15/2022. With all the delays on ordering everything, now is the time to order your fire prevention materials. Work with your department by getting those involved who really enjoy doing fire prevention. Fire safety/ prevention is 24/7 365. Yes, by everybody doing fire prevention we can reduce fires. There are so many ideas for your department can use.
For example, if you have a
pancake feed or fundraising dinner, set up a display and hand out materials, so many things can be printed off the net at a very low cost, possibly no cost at all.
If your department keeps having the same kind of fire, see how you can educate the patrons about how to prevent them. If your department would like more ideas, seek out members of the N.S.V.F.A. fire prevention team, we are a dedicated team all over the state. Remember the easiest fire to put out is the one you prevent......fireman Bob proudly serving Plattsmouth Fire and citizens across the state.
Falls City Fire Department responds to two vehicle fires
Fire Marshal investigates fire in alley behind Lane Street
The Falls City Fire Department responded to two vehicle fires on Aug. 14.
A car was on fire in the alley behind 1310 Lane Street Thursday morning. Firefighters rapidly deployed hose to apply a heavy stream of water and then injected liquid foam to knock down the flames. A second engine was used as the booster tank in the
first engine was emptied.
A nearby hydrant was used to refill both tanks. Firefighters remained on the scene to assist a State Fire Marshal investigator.
The second fire was along Highway 73 north of town, where a SUV began to fill with smoke and the driver pulled over to the shoulder.
The fire department suspects the cause of the fire was electrical. Both vehicles appeared to be total losses.
(News Channel Nebraska, Aug. 15, 2025; written by Dan Swanson, staff writer.)
Lodgepole house fire
A reported house fire broke out Tuesday morning, July 29, on Sheldon Street in Lodgepole, drawing a swift response from local authorities. According to Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Deputy Tucker Meyer, the family living in the home were not in the structure at the time of the fire. The children were safely inside the nearby Panther’s Den with their mother, and the family’s animals were also accounted for outside the home. The father, a firefighter, was reportedly attempting to extinguish the fire himself before emergency crews arrived. Smoke was visible from the structure shortly before flames were expected to overtake the house. Firefighters responded quickly to the scene to contain the blaze and prevent further spread. No injuries were reported. Authorities have not released the cause of the fire. An investigation is ongoing.
NSVFA Officer Directory
President
SCOTT SCHREMMER
815 W 6th, Chadron, NE 69337 308-430-1494
buffhater@gmail.com
1st Vice President
BRENDA JENNY 1767 Colfax Street, Blair, NE 68008 402.639.9647 bgolf2560@yahoo.com
2nd Vice President
TROY SHOEMAKER 1433 Grove Ave Alliance, NE 69301 308-760-7682 tshoemaker@cityofalliance.net
Secretary/Treasurer
MARK MEINTS
502 E H St, Wymore, NE 68466 402-806-7451 meints2@windstream.net
Legal Advisor
RYAN K. MCINTOSH PO Box 186 Syracuse, NE 68446-0186 ryan.mcintosh@bhhslawfirm.com
Lobbyist
GERALD STILMOCK P.O. Box 186 Syracuse 68446 402-269-2081 • Office jerry.stilmock@bhhslawfirm.com
Past President SHAD BRYNER PO Box 154, Hemingford, NE 69348 308-760-3341 sbryner@bbc.net
District Directors
#1 DARRELL VANCE 1415 Q St, Gering, NE 69341 308-631-0053 DarrellVance1230@gmail.com
#2 JOHN BOMAR P.O. Box 222, Battle Creek, NE 68715 402-992-1560 JBomar1970@gmail.com
#3 RON CHADA 1721 N Sheridan North Platte, NE 69101 308-520-2828 rmchada@winnelson.com
#4 KENNY KRAUSE 1229 D St. Fairbury, NE 68352 402-300-0097 krausechief@gmail.com
NSVFA Representative National Vol. Fire Council
JUSTIN SCAMEHORN 202 Hidas Ave. Waco, NE 68460 402-366-1939 jscamehorn@yahoo.com
Appointed NVFC Director
JOEL CERNY 1618 Denver St. Schuyler 68661 402-720-4100 cerny_j@hotmail.com Chaplain MATTHEW MAU Cell: 402-363-1540 E: pastormattwaco@gmail.com
NSVFA OFficer Reports NSVFA Officer Reports
The time of year is upon us! The Eastern part of the state has been blessed with rain, and not so blessed with severe storms. The middle and southern parts of the state have also been blessed with rain. As for the northwestern part of the state, we are hot and dry, extremely dry! A few weeks ago, Crawford (Dawes County Station 2) had 8 fires in 24 hrs... While we are glad that the SEAT has been acquired, we wish it could have been here sooner. As part of my full-time job is at the Chadron Airport, seeing that crew work its tail off this last week is a key that it was needed in our area badly, between South Dakota and Nebraska it has been busy. We keep our fingers crossed for good rain and not severe storms and especially not dry lightning!
We are getting ready to head to Kearney for the Firefighters Memorial service on Sept. 21st @ 2 p.m. at the Museum. I know that the committee worked very
“Stronger
Together: Why Mutual Aid Agreements Are Essential for Fire Departments”
When disaster strikes, there’s no time to go it alone. Fires, floods, accidents, and other emergencies often overwhelm even the bestequipped departments. That’s why Mutual Aid agreements and being part of your local Mutual Aid Association have become a critical part of ensuring your communities remain protected and resilient.
In recent years, the state has witnessed everything from grassfires fueled by dry conditions to widespread flooding, tornadoes and straight-line winds threatening homes, infrastructure, and lives. In these high-stakes moments, the ability to call on neighboring fire departments for rapid assistance is not just a convenience — it’s a lifeline.
WHAT IS MUTUAL AID?
Mutual Aid is a formal agreement between fire departments to assist one another across jurisdictional boundaries. These agreements allow resources, personnel, and expertise to be shared in times of need—without red tape slowing down the response.
Mutual Aid isn’t just about big disasters. It’s about having the peace of mind that help is always a phone call away. Whether it’s
hard again this year to provide a great experience for all of us. The NSVFA has purchased a new sound system for us to use at this event or others like it, it will be stored at the museum as it is centrally located. We were informed at the meeting in Chadron that there were no LODD’s and that is a great thing, as none of us want to go through that. A firefighter was lost close to us last month up in Murdo, South Dakota, and when that happens it makes us all realize that we need to check and double check everything, as our main mission is to take care of us first!! Please always be safe and be careful on every call. A death is a horrible way to fix something that should not have happened, but it seems that we are always training on how not to get in those situations because of a death that occurred. Again, please be safe.
Don’t forget that our annual conference is just around the
a barn fire, a multi-vehicle accident, or a structure collapse, having those relationships in place makes all the difference.
WHY IT MATTERS
Volunteer fire departments, especially in rural Nebraska, often face challenges such as limited personnel, aging equipment, and large response territories. Mutual Aid agreements extend a department’s reach and strength far beyond its own limits.
Consider this: A structure fire in a rural area might require more water than a single department can haul or more hands than are immediately available. A Mutual Aid call-out can bring water tenders, aerial support, and trained firefighters from neighboring towns—turning an overwhelmed crew into a well-coordinated force.
REAL-WORLD BENEFITS
Time and time again, Mutual Aid has proven its worth:
• During the 2019 floods, departments from across the state responded to help one another, providing rescue operations, equipment, and manpower where it was needed most.
• In the summer of 2024, multiple departments collaborated to contain a fast-moving wildfire that threatened homes and farms in central Nebraska—something no single department could have handled alone.
These real-world examples underscore the importance of planning and partnership. When
Scott Schremmer, Presi dent
“Don’t forget that our annual conference is just around the corner on Oct. 17-19, it also will be in Kearney and registration is open and there is a discount if you do so before Sept. 15th. Please check out the website for all the details. ”
corner on Oct. 17-19, it also will be in Kearney and registration is open and there is a discount if you do so before Sept. 15th Please check out the website for all the details. For all of you reading this please make sure your departments have received the new code on the back of your membership card to enter the newsletter. Hopefully next year it will be a little smoother of a transition of the new password. The board will be trying to de-
lay the change until you all have your cards in your hands, Well, only three responses to my trivia question last month, I hoped there would have been more as my time as president of the NSFVA is coming to an end. Ok last one, what is the leading cause of house fires?
As always, stay safe and God bless the Volunteer.
SCOTT SCHREMMER,
President
Brenda Jenny , 1st Vice Presi dent
“ In the face of disaster, no fire department stands alone. Through Mutual Aid Associations, Nebraska’s firefighters are proving that unity, collaboration, and shared responsibility are the cornerstones of effective emergency response.
fire departments work together, communities are safer, response times are faster, and the burden doesn’t fall solely on one department’s shoulders.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE THE EMERGENCY
The key to successful Mutual Aid isn’t just having a signed agreement — it’s building strong relationships ahead of time. Joint training exercises, shared communication protocols, and regular inter-department meetings ensure everyone is on the same page when it matters most. We train together, so we can respond together. You don’t want to meet your backup for the first time in the middle of a fivealarm fire.
MOVING FORWARD
The NSVFA encourages every department—no matter how small—to review their Mutual Aid agreements, engage with neighboring departments, and continue building a network of support. Emergencies may be
unpredictable, but preparedness doesn’t have to be.
In the face of disaster, no fire department stands alone. Through Mutual Aid Associations, Nebraska’s firefighters are proving that unity, collaboration, and shared responsibility are the cornerstones of effective emergency response.
As always, if you have a meeting or event you would like me to attend, please reach out and I will make every effort to be there. Below are upcoming events you don’t want to miss are:
• Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service: Sept. 21st, 2pm in Kearney, NE – Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center
• NSVFA Annual Conference: Oct. 16 – 19 in Kearney, NE at Holiday Inn Convention Center. Until next time, stay safe and healthy.
BRENDA JENNY, 1st
Vice President
NSVFA OFficer Reports NSVFA Officer Reports
Another month has gone by, and another article deadline has arrived. Writing an impactful article every month as the 2nd Vice President of this great organization has proven to be a challenge for me. I now understand what authors experience when they talk about writer’s block. This last month has passed for me in the blink of an eye. I’m just sitting here, and I realized I had forgotten to do something. What is it? Then I realized I hadn’t written nor submitted my article for the Nebraska Firefighter. So
here I am, wondering what to write about this month. Since my election as your second Vice President, I have written about “Making a Positive Impact,” “Our Pursuit of Continued Learning,” “First Responder Mental Health,” and “Leadership.” This month is going to be different, as I must have procrastinated way too much to write an article like the above-mentioned, so this one will be short and sweet.
The board met on Aug. 1st and 2nd in Chadron to review the
2025 fire school, start the planning for the 2026 fire school, along with working on the proposed fire school and the NSVFA budget. I can tell you we spent a good amount of time discussing the future of our association and how we maintain financial stability.
I’m also pleased to announce that I have submitted my name and intention to run as 1st Vice President to the NSVFA office. I would like to continue to serve you and the association as a member of the executive board, a
Troy Shoemaker,2nd Vice President
“The board met on Aug. 1st and 2nd in Chadron to review the 2025 fire school, start the planning for the 2026 fire school, along with working on the proposed fire school and the NSVFA budget. I can tell you we spent a good amount of time discussing the future of our association and how we maintain financial stability.”
cated, and forward thinking. We truly have a great association that we all should be proud of. I’m proud of it and I hope that I can
Legal Advisor’s Report Legal Advisor’s Report
N.S.V.F.A. Members,
I have had several calls this summer regarding various cooperation agreements between municipalities and rural or suburban fire protection districts. There are many different options and departments across the state have very different agreements in place. In short, your department should do what works best for you. In some instances, the municipality will take the primary responsibility for supporting the department with reimbursement from the rural or suburban fire protection district. In others, the rural or suburban fire protection district will take the role with monetary support from the municipality. Others will share in the responsibility with one entity owning the vehicles, with the other owning the fire hall or paying the insurance. Another option is to merge the municipality with
the rural or suburban fire protection district. I will write more on that topic next month.
The common factor in all of these is that the agreements should be reduced to writing and formalized via an interlocal agreement.
Over the last several months I have had discussions with several departments reg regarding merger of city or village organized volunteer departments and Rural or Suburban Fire Protection Districts. I want to give a brief summary of the process for those of you considering this option.
First, pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 35-513, a District may contract with a city or village for mutual fire protection, fire protection service, or fire protection cooperation. However, incorporated cities or villages may also be merged or included into the
NVFC Reports NVFC Reports
First thing I want to take time to do this month is to congratulate the seven Nebraska Fire Departments that received the $10,000 State Farm Grants brought to us through the National Volunteer Fire Council. Nebraska winners include: Belden VFD, Niobrara VFD, Oakdale VFD, Pleasanton VFD, Prague Fire & Rescue, Valentine VFD, and Wood River Fire and Rescue. Justin Scamehorn (your other NVFC Representative) and I, along with several other NVFC Delegates, each reviewed over 150 applications, so that tells you just how competitive it was to receive one of the 150 grants they funded. Please reach out to your local State Farm agent and thank them for sponsoring this program.
The State Farm Grant Program is just one of the many benefits provided by the NVFC to its members. Our fire department just received two boxes of Drip
Drop that we applied for and were awarded through a random drawing. The Anheuser-Busch Emergency Drinking Water program is another giveaway program, and so far, 15 Nebraska Volunteer Fire Departments have received their pallet of water. Yes, a pallet of 2,352 12 oz. cans of water. Those departments include Table Rock, Dorchester, Ashland, Ceresco, Brainard, North Bend, Stromsburg, Waco, Spalding, North Loup, Halsey, Alma, Bushnell, Culbertson, and Chappell.
Other giveaways include 4 sets of gear through Globe and helmets from Cairns. Potter and Axtell Fire Departments here in Nebraska have received their gear in the past. There are also, scholarships through Waldorf and Columbia Southern Universities, Stair Climbers through STEPR, for your fitness program and grants through Nutella.
Action Fire
Please
continue to serve. Until next month, stay safe!
photo.
District, and thereafter levy taxes within the corporate limits of the city or village. There are two ways this may be accomplished. The governing statutes are found at Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 35-530 to 35-536.
Under the first method, individuals may petition. This requires a petition signed by sixty percent (60%) or more of the registered voters who are residing within the boundaries of the territory (city or village) to be included. The petition must be delivered to the county clerk of the county where the city or village is located and is required to contain a description of the boundaries of the territory (city or village limits) to be included, along with a map or plat of the boundaries.
The second, and more simple way, is to pass a joint resolution or ordinance by the District board and the city council or village
Ryan K. McIntosh, Legal Advisor
“I have had several calls this summer regarding various cooperation agreements between municipalities and rural or suburban fire protection districts. There are many different options and departments across the state have very different agreements in place. In short, your department should do what works best for you.”
board of trustees. This must contain a description of the boundaries of the territory (city or village corporate limits) to be included, along with a map or plat of the boundaries. Similar to the petition method, the joint resolution or ordinance is required to be presented to the county clerk of the county where the city or village is located. In both instances, the petition or joint resolution or ordinance is submitted to the county board of the relevant county, or in some instances, counties. The
The best way to keep informed when these grant applications are open is to join the NVFC and sign up for their emails. The grants are just a small part of what is available to you for the low cost of only $24 per year. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me. Hope to see you at the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Annual Memorial Service in Kearney at the Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center. If you would like to visit with me that day, please catch me
county board then must determine whether the proposed district is suited to the general fire protection policy of the county, determine the boundaries of the proposed district, and make a written order of such determination. Following a public meeting, the merged territory (city or village) will be subject to the tax levy of the District.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact me with questions.
RYAN
K. MCINTOSH, N.S.V.F.A.
“Hope to see you
Legal Advisor
early, as Justin Scamehorn, Brenda Jenny, your NSVFA 1st Vice President, and I will be leaving immediately after the service to attend the NVFC’s Fall Meeting
Grand Island first responders rescue man trapped in
hole
A scary situation for one neighborhood in Grand Island after first responders raced to rescue a man trapped in the ground. The Grand Island Fire Department was called out just before 1 p.m. to a home on Frostfire Avenue. It was regarding a confined space call where there had been a partial collapse with a person trapped. GIFD Battalion Chief Scott Kuehl said when he arrived on scene, he saw the man in the ground was alive and responsive. The man was trapped from the waist down. He had been
working in the area when the dirt collapsed. Kuehl said right now, the ground is very wet on top and gets heavy. The ground underneath is soft and it got pushed out the bottom and pinned the man up against the foundation wall. Kuehl said they brought in their technical rescue equipment to help rescue the man using confined space techniques. He said they work on moving the dirt away from the edge and away from the person to make a safer scene.
Kuehl said they had to move a lot of dirt and move it by hand with small shovels. He said neighbors offered up tools as well as GIPD officers jumping in as well to help.
“It was very labor intensive but we had to make it that way to make it safe,” he said. Once the man was out of the ground, he was taken to the hospital for medical attention.
(KOLN-TV CBS 10/KGIN-TV CBS 11, Lincoln-Grand Island, July 18, 2025)
TROY SHOEMAKER, 2 nd Vice President
that will be held in Rapid City, SD.
JOEL E. CERNY, NSVFA Director to the NVFC
J oel Cerny, NVFC Director
at the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Annual Memorial Service in Kearney at the Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center.”
The Association’s annual
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Annual Conference Annual Conference
HOSTED BY: KEARNEY VOLUNTEER
4 WAYS TO REGISTER:
8:00am E-Board Meeting
DULE OF EVENTS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2025
FIRE DEPARTMENT
OCTOBER 16, 2025
OCTOBER 16-18, 2025 - HOLIDAY INN & CONVENTION CENTER - KEARNEY, NE
HOTEL INFORMATION
A room block has been secured for conference attendees. Room reservations must be made by September 15, 2025. Please indicate you are with the NSVFA conference.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025
12:00-2:00pm 1:00-5:00pm 2:00-4:00pm 6:30-8:00pm
A room block has been secured for conference attendees Room reservations must be made by September 15, 2025 Please indicate you are with the NSVFA conference
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
School Meeting Registration
Catholic Church Service Banquet & Auction
E-Board Meeting
All Faiths Service
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025
NSVFA PP Dinner (invite only)
Old Timers Luncheon
12:00-2:00pm 1:00-5:00pm 2:00-4:00pm 6:30-8:00pm 7:00-11:00pm Fire School Meeting
8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-11:00am 10:00am-12:00pm 12:30-1:30pm 5:00-6:00pm 5:00-6:30pm 6:30pm
Hospitality Event
NSVFA General Session
TOBER 17, 2025
NSVFA PP Dinner (invite only) Hospitality Event
EMS Delegates Meeting Polls Open
Fire Chief’s Meeting
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025
7:30-11:00am
Fire Delegates Meeting
Fire Delegates Meeting
Fire Chief’s Meeting
Registration
EMS Delegates Meeting
Fire Chief’s Meeting
NSVFA Opening Ceremonies
NSVFA Committee Meeting
Fire Delegates Meeting
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
7:30am–4:00pm 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 10:00am-12:00pm 12:00-1:30pm 1:30-3:30pm 3:30-5:30pm 3:30-5:30pm 7:00-11:00pm
President’s Luncheon (invite only)
Registration
EMS Delegates Meeting
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2025
NSVFA General Session
NSVFA Opening Ceremonies
EMS Training Session
President’s Luncheon (invite only)
FIRE Training Session
NSVFA General Session
(invite only)
Hospitality Event - Husker G
EMS Training Session
Hospitality Event - Husker Game
FIRE Training Session
FIRE Training Session
OCTOBER 18, 2025
Hospitality Event - Husker Game
EMS Training Session
Registration
NSVFA General Session
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2025
Connect with volunteer firefighters from across the state at the 2025 NSVFA
NSVFA Committee Meetings
7:30am–4:00pm 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 10:00am-12:00pm 12:00-1:30pm 1:30-3:30pm 3:30-5:30pm 3:30-5:30pm 7:00-11:00pm
Registration
President’s Luncheon (invite
Fire Chief’s Meeting
NSVFA Committee Meetings
Fire Chief’s Meeting
Fire Delegates Meeting
EMS Delegates Meeting
Fire Delegates Meeting
EMS Delegates Meeting
Polls Open
NSVFA Opening Ceremoni
EMS Delegates Meeting Polls Open
Fire Delegates Meeting
NSVFA General Session
Fire Chief’s Meeting
NSVFA General Session
4
7:30-11:00am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-9:30am 8:00-11:00am 10:00am-12:00pm 12:30-1:30pm 5:00-6:00pm 5:00-6:30pm 6:30pm
The 2025 NSVFA Annual Conference is once again the place to be for volunteers involved in the fire service. The conference will feature EMS and Fire educational sessions requested by firemen and women that will draw members from across the
Old Timers Luncheon
Registration
Old Timers Luncheon
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025
All Faiths Service
All Faiths Service
Catholic Church Service
Catholic Church Service
Banquet & Auction
Banquet & Auction
Be sure to mark October 16-18, 2025, on your calendar now. The deadline for early registration is September 15th, so take a few minutes today to complete the
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2025 8:00am E-Board Meeting
CTOBER 19, 2025 E-Board Meeting
President’s Luncheon (invite only)
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
HOTEL INFORMATION
NSVFA General Session
annual membership meeting provides not only an duct official business but a chance to obtain tion that will make your membership investment m your fire department The meeting on Friday mo provide a chance for both insight and input HOLIDAY INN & CONVENTION CENTER
16, 2025 12:00-2:00pm 1:00-5:00pm 2:00-4:00pm 6:30-8:00pm 7:00-11:00pm Fire School Meeting Registration E-Board Meeting NSVFA PP Dinner (invite on Hospitality Event
The Association’s annual membership meeting provides not only an opportunity to conduct official business but a chance to obtain important information that will make your membership investment more valuable and help your fire department The meeting on Friday morning and afternoon will provide a chance for both insight and input
SCHEDULE
FIRE & EMS TRAINING
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17 3:30-5:30 PM TH
Leadership
for the Fire & Emergency Services
Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission, improve member satisfaction, and best serve the community. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help your department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. Retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.
EMS Training
CHI Good Samaritan Hospital will be offering a continuing education course. Additional details, including the class description, will be shared soon.
AUXILIARY SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025
1:00-5:00pm 2:00-3:00pm 3:00-4:00pm 4:00-5:00pm 7:00-11:00pm
Registration
Special Projects Meeting
Officers & Committees Meeting
Officers & Executive Meeting
Hospitality with NSVFA
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025
7:30–4:00pm 10:00am–12:00pm
12:00-1:30pm
2:00-3:30pm
Registration Workshop
Auxiliary Luncheon
Past President’s Tea
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2025
7:30-11:00am 9:00am–12:00pm 12:00–1:30pm 5:00-6:00pm 5:00-6:30pm 6:30pm
Registration
Auxiliary Business Meeting Old Timers Luncheon All Faiths Service Catholic
Service NSVFA Banquet & Auction
Specific Purpose: Share Some Cool Expressions To Guide You
By JERRY KNAPP
The purpose of this article is to share some cool expressions with you. Actually, they are hard won and time tested and highly concentrated leadership lessons. You probably have heard these or similar expressions. Their value is they summarize a life time of experience and lessons learned
often passed down thru the generations. If not a condensed life time of experience at least a significant lesson(s) learned, usually the hard way. More positively, these words of wisdom often are the catalyst for your success as a leader in our American Fire Service.
Throughout my career and my life I have been blessed to have
Mitchell VFD responds to rollover
The Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department responded to a rollover crash on Highway 71 on Monday, August 11. At approximately 1:47 p.m., crews were dispatched to mile marker 77 on Highway 71 for a one-vehicle rollover. The vehicle was towing a camper, which was destroyed in the accident. All occupants had safely exited the vehicle before emergency responders arrived, and only minor injuries were reported. MVFD responded with three trucks and nine personnel. The Scottsbluff Fire Department was initially dispatched but was canceled after it was determined no extrication was needed. The Nebraska State Patrol and Regional West Ambulance Service also responded to the scene.
been mentored by great leaders and taught by outstanding American Firefighters. Some I learned at FDIC from extremely experienced Fire Gods like Frank Brannigan, Bill Gustin, Gerry Tracy, Arron Fields, David Rhodes, Jeff Shupe and others. Military combat veterans I have worked with and for have provided unique and valuable mentoring they learned the hard way.
Each has influenced me with some cool words. If you think about and analyze these few words, they provided a ton of excellent advice to live by and apply in certain situations in your career to grease the skids toward your own leadership success.
A word of warning, some of these may not be fair, likely gruff or politically incorrect. The world we live in is not fair or politically correct. It is life, get used to it but profit by these summaries of excerpts of life by experts. Experts that have been there, done that got the tee shirt and has long since worn that shirt out. It is important to give credit to the mentors that teach you these and I have made every attempt below.
THINK: In my first minute of probie class, Mr. Bill Herman, a NYS Fire instructor wrote think on the blackboard (long before pp) and said it was the most important thing a Firefighter can do for himself (there were no female ff yet), his company and for the people he serves. Think he said, your brain is the most powerful fireground tool you have. He was right. Not thinking on the fireground resulted in a couple of really close calls I was lucky to survive. Think.
LIFE AND DEATH: If you die in a fire at McDonalds, they will be building a new one while there
are still flowers on your grave Capt. Bill Gustin….FDIC Fast food Fast Collapse training. You have to learn to value and appreciate how mentors like Bill could summarize a complicated issue, smile while doing it, make you remember it and have an instant impact to make you think. You know exactly what he was talking about but Bill sure brought it home into shocking reality in a few words. It should make you consider your tactical actions at fast food restaurants. A few cool words that could save you and your crew.
DID THAT BUILDING JUST
LAND
FROM MARS?: Frank Brannigan, FDIC. After a presentation I asked him about how the FS should deal with trusses. This was after the Hackensack NJ multi fatal collapse. Frank always got right to the point and this was no exception. He responded quickly with: “Did that building just land from Mars?” I replied with something bright like, “No the building in question has been there at least 30 years.” To which he replied a lot more louder and clearer than I would have liked while lots of FDIC attendees watched me crash and burn….. “Why don’t you know it has trusses?” Followed up immediately with “Good God Jerry….Did that building just land from Mars?” I tried to shrink into the carpet at the conference center hallway as other firefighters eagerly looked on. Another valuable FDIC lesson learned. His point was precisely on target: why don’t we know about all the buildings in our first due area?
GOT IT? MSGT Pearales, combat veteran, West Point. After a pick up hockey game at with staff and faculty “P” as we all knew him, put his arm around me said we needed to talk so we walked alone down the hallway. I was more than a little puzzled because I was old enough to be his father and I was on the wrong side of this father and son talk. A few months before these coolest of words micro lesson my capt. and I had a very near LODD when a routine gas leak shredded a home and nearly killed us. It was only the Grace of God we survived. P was a heavy weapons platoon leader and had several of his soldiers killed in Iraq after they survived similar experiences with ieds. He said they thought they were bullet proof (aka Superman) after that and that mentality proved fatal. Maybe we should instill in our ff they are not bullet proof. Sure, we all feel special when we don our gear. Special yes, bullet proof no. You are not superman. We get paid to take manageable risks. Don’t be afraid to mentor and provide advice up the chain of command as well especially if like P you have valuable experience to share.
•
•
•
•
•
FIGURE IT OUT. This is a challenge, usually offered by my boss Col. Mike Collacico, after he gave me an assignment. I’m sure he had some ideas of his own but “figure it out” really was an opportunity for me to use some innovative methods to solve a unique problem. It really was an opportunity to excel, prove myself and play the game and win or lose try to accomplish the mission win or lose. First time I heard this I thought it disrespectful. Quite the contrary, my boss had enough respect for me to think I could be successful, after I invested a significant amount of work. The challenges could be many, would I put enough effort into it, would I fold after the first failure, would I know who to put on my team to help me succeed? Col. Collacicco also said, “Don’t fret too long, come back and we will get it done.”
“DON’T EVER GET THAT INVALID MENTALITY.” Uncle Ned Hobbs, family friend. Uncle Ned was a WW2 infantry man that took part in 5 invasions in Europe to wrestle the continent away from the Nazis. My Dad passed away when I was 5 so Uncle Ned was more than an Uncle, much more, mentor, moral compass director, sports coach, etc. A mutual friend broke his leg. After our friend left on crutches, Uncle Ned said quietly, “Jerry….don’t ever get that invalid mentality, keep going you will recover stronger than you started.” We know that as ff we will get hurt. Keep going, don’t succumb to weakness and “don’t get that invalid mentality.”
YOU ARE NOT SUPERMAN,
YOU CANT MAKE SENSE OUT OF NON-SENSE: Dr. Steve Levy said this to me in my first session of counseling after a very close call (see above). He continued, “So don’t try to make sense out of it, it will drive you crazy.” This was preceded by another more valuable statement, “You are not crazy. You are having a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.” As FF we go to abnormal situations as a profession: fires, extrications, heart attacks, you name it. The trap here is we think it is normal, “Yup that is what I signed up for.” Well, yea but we are normal human beings that may at some point, may have a normal reaction to the abnormal situation in front of us, that by the way, we are expected to resolve. The point here is this: you may be having a normal reaction and think you are crazy. Get help, look out for your fellow firefighters before something really bad happens. You all know the warning signs to look for.
TURN LEMONS INTO LEMONADE: Gordon Wren, Rockland County Fire Coordinator. Life will hand you lemons sometimes. The question is how to turn around situations that have befallen you into a win. In the case of the gas explosion above, with Gordon’s help we installed a full scale natural gas training site at our fire academy. Lemons, a near double LODD into a world class training site we call Leak St to benefit all FF to learn from our experience. ITS ONLY A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH …HARRY CARTER: Firefighting is like a game. We practice (train) and await the big game (alarms). On game day we do our best and usually win the battle be it a successful fire attack, a CPR save or auto extrication. Getting ready then accepting the challenge of the game is fun and the outcome can be a surprise
pleasant or unpleasant. As adults we may call it satisfaction from success. It is important to realize our game is a matter of life and death, civilians and ours.
IN THE LAND OF THE BLIND THE ONE EYE MAN IS KING: Not sure who said this originally, I learned it from Carol Diemer, a West Point co-worker. Clearly, to the completely untrained, your (half baked) version of success may look tantalizing. However, if you have a full understanding of the issue your perspective maybe very different. It may be based on reality and facts that because of your two eyes (better training / understanding) that the blind and one-eyed perspective cannot see. Tread softly but make your points clear to visualize the issue and provide the correct solution.
I KNOW ENOUGH TO BE DANGEROUS: sometimes this is the litmus test we need to apply to ourselves. Do I really know enough about this topic or am I succumbing to a cursory understanding and thinking I know the full story? The US Army provided me with some really great ant-terrorism certifications and bomb awareness understanding. I was giving an interview at a local newspaper when I noticed a briefcase outside on the ground
just outside the office picture window. No one was around it. I ended the interview very quickly, positioned myself on the other side of the building and notified the security guard. He promptly went and picked it up, opened it proving to all of us his “bravery.” He knew enough to be dangerous, I knew enough to get out of “Dodge” quickly as a result of my training. He knew enough to be dangerous, I was lucky enough to have training equivalent to two good eyes (see above) and the reporter and newspaper staff were fat dumb and happy (see below) and rewarded him for his actions.
FAT, DUMB AND HAPPY:
Clearly not politically correct but this means you were oblivious to the situation. It could not have been your fault and or you should have been better trained and been aware of the potential consequences. We all know people with this philosophy. They say things like, “you don’t really think that is going to happen, do you?” They just skip along outside the real world looking thru rose colored glasses. As leaders in our fire service, we get paid to conduct or utilize realistic threat analysis produced by other leaders and prepare for the unthink-
able. If we don’t prepare, who will? To these, usually poorly trained people a good reply is: Do I think this will happen, probably not but I did not think the World Trade Center would collapse either!” Darwin favors the fat, dumb and happy.
HOPE IS NOT A PLAN: I learned this the hard way saying it to my boss, an Afghanistan combat veteran. “Hope is not a plan Mr. Knapp, do you understand that!!!” he said very emphatically. To which I replied something bright like, “Yes sir, I do now.” What I meant was “I thought the reaction to my plan would be….” What I should have said and prepared a better answer was, “after careful analysis, I expect the following to happen.” To be clear, I did now know what the reaction to our action would be, but that I had researched it, and more importantly planned for it. Essentially our (secondary) reaction, if needed, to their reaction to our original action. This portion of my planning was based on a reasonable assumption (not being 100% able to predict the reaction) but with a firm plan in place to counter any expected or non-expected action. Tactically on the fireground: plan on an aggressive interior search
Hartington training
Hartington volunteer firefighters and EMTs put in quite a few hours of training each year to maintain their certifications and to make sure they are up to date on the latest techniques. The two agencies held a mock disaster drill Aug. 4. The drill forced emergency services teams to use ropes to climb down a steep ravine for a car that had gone off the road southwest of the Hartington airport. Once they reached the bottom they had to make sure there was no fire or chance of an explosion and then tend to their patients. “We made sure they had an airway, breathing and circulation,” said EMT Marilyn Thoene. “We determined two were able to talk and tell us where they hurt. We assessed their injuries and prepared them for the carrier and firemen to take them up to the top of the ravine, where we could continue our assessment on each patient.” Other training sessions have included a grain bin rescue, and a mock rescue after a semi-truck and a school bus collision. Hartington Volunteer Fire Chief Ryan Marsh said he is very pleased with the effort the volunteer force put in Monday, and always puts in. “We’re blessed with a lot of good guys. And these guys put a lot of hard work and that kind of goes unnoticed,” he said. “There are a lot of hours put into training and fixing and maintaining the equipment.” Marsh said a training exercise like this can really have a big affect on the younger firefighters. “Something like this does open the eyes for the guys,” he said. “It can be a lot of physical work, and you’ve got to be prepared for it.” Even though there are 39 volunteer firefighters on the local squad, an event like this shows the local department needs all the help it can get, Marsh said. “A thing like this shows how thin we can get,” he said. “In a real situation like that, we would have been calling for mutual aid. A call like this, we would have had at least two other EMS squads from different towns and I probably would have brought in one other department just for the manpower.” Marsh said the local emergency squads are always training for various emergencies, but there will always be a surprise pop up, he said. “We try to prepare for everything we can. These guys work hard at what they do. This is hands-down one of the most intense volunteer positions you’re going to be in. We are very blessed with all of the good volunteers there are in this community.” From the Cedar County News.
and fire attack with first due units at a house fire but if that fails, conduct searches with VEIS with already approaching second due units.
PREPARE THE BATTLEFIELD: You can go into a game and hope for the best or you can study the films of the opposing team and prepare your team with measures, counter measures. Recognizing weaknesses that can be exploited for your teams, benefit is also a key part. For meetings that maybe contentious, prepare a colleague or two that agrees with you to help set the stage before you present your recommended course of action. Essentially, this means how can I shape the operation, discussion or exercise in my favor, before the battle.
SANITY CHECK: After you write something or develop a plan for anything, give it to a co-worker that has not been involved and ask him/her for a sanity check. Does it make sense? Did I forget anything? Are my assumptions correct? A fresh set of eyes on your work is super valuable. They will see what you thought was there but was not. They may see the value of your effort and provide a vote of confidence you can take forward with you.
COURSES OF ACTION: COA is like strategy and tactics only much more cerebral and a product of a good planning session and not time sensitive like on the fire ground. For example, no action is always an alternative. You may not choose it and it may be the worst option but it is a possible course of action. Standing in front of a burning home and choosing no action is likely not the best strategy for life safety or fire suppression. Cirrect application of water in a window is an alternate course of action. In the hazmat world, it often is a very viable option, to either let the reaction run its course or understanding the tank is already empty so an entry is not required. Why risk members for no benefit? A very powerful recent ex-
ample: should we risk our members to monitor the gases coming off lithium ion batteries to determine if they are dangerous? The best course of action here is to not monitor. Why, recent UL studies already did that and yes they are dangerous. UL proved the gasses coming off batteries in thermal run away are: ….33% H…36% carbon monoxide 9% methane and 22% carbon dioxide. The catastrophic lithium ion battery explosion in Surprise AZ is an excellent case history.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE: stated by great leaders in all professions. No further explanation necessary.
AREA OF OPERATION (AO):
In military jargon the AO is the geographic area of the battlefield you/your unit are responsible for and have been assigned probably in an operations order. In leadership/management terms your AO can be as a company or department leader position with assigned responsibilities; your ao. You can also think of it as areas where you have influence to shape decisions. In Grandfather or common sense terms, it is your business or it is not. YOU CAN’T CURE TERMINAL DUMB ASS: You have done your best to convince someone it is a bad idea. They persist. At some point you need to accept what they are going to do and observe the results and maybe pick up their pieces. Commonly associated with, “Hold my beer and watch this!”
Jerry Knapp is the Chief of the Rockland County, NY Hazmat Team, and is a 49 year veteran Firefighter/EMT with the West Haverstraw NY Fire Department. He served on the technical panel for the UL residential fire attack study. Knapp is the co-author of two books: House Fires and Tactical Response to Explosive Gas Emergencies published by Fire Engineering He is the owner of Suburban Tactical Inc specializing in fire officer and firefighter training.
Alliance, Hemingford firefighters battle blaze at Acosta Trucking
High winds and access to the scene made it difficult for firefighters to battle a fire at Acosta Trucking last Monday afternoon.
According to Alliance Volunteer Fire Department
Chief Troy Shoemaker, firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 12:40 p.m. and cleared the scene at 8:02 p.m. Fourteen firefighters from the AVFD, 10 from the Hemingford Volunteer Fire Department, the Box Butte County Road Department and several local residents and people from area businesses aided in extinguishing the fire.
“When we got dispatched, we got dispatched to a fully- involved structure with explosions occurring,” said Shoemaker.
“The wind played a factor with us. The advanced progression of the fire by the time we got dispatched was a factor as well, and then trucking in water. All those kind of things when you have a fire out in the county.
“There was heavy black smoke blowing to the north, and that’s the same direction that we were coming in from,” Shoemaker said. “It was a fairly significant-sized shop building that had living quarters on the south end of it. You can imagine all the stuff that was in a shop that helps maintain a fleet of vehicles for a trucking company. Obviously, there’s going to be fuels and oils and all those things that it takes to maintain a fleet of vehicles.”
The State Fire Marshal was contacted to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire, Shoemaker said. The fire remains
under investigation, but they believe the fire is accidental in nature. He explained that the access to the structure was a challenge to overcome as they fought the fire. No injuries were reported, but the structure, Shoemaker said, is considered a catastrophic loss for the owner.
Shoemaker advises people to keep the roads clear when there is a fire, as traffic can hinder the efforts to control the fire.
“This fire was a significant fire that produced a massive black cloud on the horizon that everybody could see,” said Shoemaker. “Traffic hindered us a little bit getting out there. Everybody wanted to go see what was going on, and sometimes that hinders first responders’ responses to an incident. Fortunately, it was something that we overcame, but we just ask people to not follow the smoke cloud because you can bottleneck a county road or even a city street that would hamper our response in getting there safely. We know everybody’s curious, but it can have an effect on what we can do and how efficiently we can perform our tasks.”
(Alliance Times Herald, Alliance, July 23, 2025; written by Shaun Friedrichsen, publisher.)
Action Fire Photos Needed!
Please send them to jeff@nebraskafirefighter.com along with information to explain the photo.
No explosion risk after roof collapse, gas leak in Mitchell
On August 12 , at approximately 8:34 p.m. Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a roof collapse and gas leak in a building on 13th Street. When crews arrived it was determined there was one occupant in the building who was safely evacuated and evaluated by medical personnel. Power and gas was cut to the building and the neighboring building. The main building was ventilated, and positive pressure fans were used to blow all of the gas out of the building eliminating any explosion risk. Due to the compromised stability of the building a section of 13th Street was closed. When the roof collapsed the east wall of the building began to lean towards the neighboring building. One firefighter suffered a fall while on scene, was evaluated by EMS personnel and as a precaution sent to the ER for further evaluation. MVFD responded with five trucks and nine personnel. Regional West EMS, Mitchell Police, Morrill Police, Scotts Bluff County Sheriff Office, Black Hills Energy, City of Mitchell Electric Department, and City of Mitchell Street Department all responded to this call as well.
Loup City Fourth of July
Loup City Volunteer Fire Department assisted with the 4 th of July fireworks at Sherman Reservoir. Photo by Tammy Sue Kuehl.
Banner County grass fire
Over a dozen agencies battled a 45-acre grass fire in the Nebraska Panhandle on Wednesday, August 13. Banner County Volunteer Fire and Rescue said the fire began in the eastern part of the county on Tuesday. The fire held overnight within the established containment lines. Banner County Fire stayed on scene overnight, and additional fire crews arrived this morning. As of 8 a.m., the fire was 60 percent contained and had not increased in size. Crews reinforced containment lines, patrolled the fire perimeter and handline construction across the bottom of the canyon in the most inaccessible terrain. Agencies from Banner County, Lyman, Scottsbluff, Gering, Bridgeport, Minatare/Melbeta, Sidney, Potter, McGrew and Bayard responded to the fire. Region 22 Emergency Management and the SEAT plane stationed in Chadron also assisted. Later in the day the fire was considered 95 percent contained with the landowner monitoring, and Banner County Volunteer Fire and Rescue checking as needed.
to:
NE firefighters museum & education center NE Firefighters Museum & Education Center
Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighters Association to Host Community
Memorial Honoring Fallen EMS & Firefighters at the Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center
The Nebraska Firefighters Museum in Kearney invites the community to come together on Sunday, September 21, 2025, for its annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service, a heartfelt ceremony honoring the bravery and sacrifice of Nebraska firefighters & EMS who have given their lives in service and their lives this past year. Families, fellow firefighters, and the public are invited to gather in remembrance and gratitude and encourage anyone to attend. Not only to honor those who have been lost, but also to support to their Families and to show appreciation for firefighters who continue to risk their lives every day for us and for our communities.
The event will include a reading of names, a traditional bell ceremony, and time for reflection. Families of the fallen, fellow firefighters & EMS, and
community members will join side by side to remember the sacrifices made and to show support for those who continue to serve today.
“This memorial is about more than remembering — it’s about standing together as a community,” said organizers. “We want people to feel the pride and gratitude we all share for the men and women who protect us.”
The ceremony will be held at the Nebraska Firefighters Museum, 2834 East 1st Street in Kearney, NE. Admission to the Memorial is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.
For more details, call (308) 338-3473 or visit the Nebraska Firefighters Museum.
JENNIFER
SLATER, Director
Crews battle fire in Fremont
Three people still missing after explosion at industrial plant
Three people were missing Tuesday after an explosion and fire at an industrial plant in Fremont.
Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said authorities believe three people were inside the Horizon Biofuels plant just before noon when a massive explosion caused the structural collapse of a large portion of the building.
Fire crews continued to douse the smoldering debris late into the day. Nebraska Task Force 1, an urban search and rescue team from Lincoln Fire & Rescue, was on scene late Tuesday afternoon, ready to assist in search efforts once it was deemed safe to enter.
Firefighters from nine departments responded after the explosion and fire was first reported.
A World-Herald photojournalist saw multiple ambulances and volunteer firefighters from Fremont, Cedar Bluffs, Valley, and Waterloo, as well as Fremont police and the Nebraska State Patrol at the scene of the fire.
A State Patrol helicopter circled the area as black smoke billowed from the property.
Horizon Biofuels recycles discarded shipping pallets from local businesses, as well as waste lumber from building manufacturers, to produce wood pellets. The building was Golden Sun Feeds prior to Horizon moving in.
The Fremont Church of the Nazarene was accepting donations for water and Gatorade to give to first responders at the scene.
“We want to help, it’s really hot today,” the Rev. Tyler Runyan said.
Runyan said within an hour of making a callout on Facebook, they received 26 cases of water and 20 cases of Gatorade.
Raegan Yount said she and other employees at nearby Magnum Builders, near East Cloverly
Road and South Main Street, felt what they believed were two explosions.
“You could feel them, literally feel them, inside the shop,” she said. “We have a dome building, and it just shook that building like crazy.”
Yount, who owns the roofing business with her husband, said they didn’t find any damage on their property, but saw that some employees at nearby Jayhawk Boxes had their car windows blown out.
Yount said she felt shellshocked from the explosion and described it as a “bad situation.”
“Your heart goes out to the victims and it goes out to the firefighters in this heat,” she said.
Alex Hannar, an employee at Tailgate Motor Co. just west of the fire, said he felt his building shake and it looked like the roof of the Horizon Biofuels building was gone.
The structure’s grain elevator was the site of a fire in May 2014 that put the facility out of commission for about two months, according to past reporting in The World-Herald and the Fremont Tribune.
The 2014 fire caused electrical damage and was mostly confined within the concrete building, fire officials said at the time. The company reported recovering to normal operations within about six months.
U.S. Rep. Mike Flood said in an X post on Tuesday his office is in contact with the Fremont mayor to support their response to the explosion.
“Our prayers are with the people of the City of Fremont, Dodge County, and the first responders on the scene,” he said.
(Grand Island Independent, Grand Island, July 30, 2025; written by Justin Diep and Grace Lewis, Omaha World-Herald, World-Herald staff writers Josh Reyes and Luna Stephens and photojournalists Chris Machian and Nikos Fraizer contributed to this report.)
Two taken to hospital after Hebron crash
Hebron Volunteer Fire Department was called to a two-vehicle accident on August 13. The jaws of life were used to free two patients from the car. The driver of the pickup truck did not require transport or treatment. Both patients were taken to Thayer County hospital for treatment.
Imperial Fire – ‘We got it in time’
Timing is everything, and Neligh Fire chief Mike Mortensen said timing was on the side of the Imperial II restaurant Saturday morning after a fire broke out on the east side.
“It was very fortunate that someone saw the smoke Saturday morning. If it had been at midnight, it would have been totally different,” Mortensen said. “There might just be a shell left.” Instead, the Imperial II restaurant along Highway 275, and the connecting businesses remain standing. On first look, those passing by may not even notice a fire occurred over the weekend. But the interior of the restaurant; however suffered “quite a bit of damage,” according to Mortensen, from smoke to wall
damage, between the restaurant and what was once a deli area.
The chief said at around 9 a.m. Saturday, a passerby called in heavy smoke coming from a second story window on the highway (east) side of the building. He said the cause has been ruled electrical and began near an outlet box on the east side.
“It went up the wall and breached the second floor and nearly tickling the rafters,” Mortensen said. “We got it in time, thank God.”
With 21 firefighters from the Neligh Volunteer Fire Department and mutual aid from both Clearwater and Elgin, the fire was quickly contained without penetrating the connecting buildings and businesses.
“It did not get into any of the other businesses that were attached to that building,” Mortensen said. “It was very fortunate.”
Firefighters remained on scene for about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
Building owner Cindy Hild expressed gratitude toward all of the firefighters and first responders.
“I know how important the fire department is, but it’s a whole different experience to see your friends, neighbors and former students trying to save your property,” she said. “The Imperial Steakhouse fire was discovered quickly and contained to the best possible result.”
Hild said Mortensen and Assistant Chief Dave Jacobsen
were “so thoughtful to explain what happened, show me the affected areas and answered many questions,” and she commended City of Neligh employees Josh Capler and Grant Knutson, who “proactively shut off the electricity and then get it turned back on and answer my many questions.”
Hild said her other renters — Ultimate Massage Therapy; Antelope County Chiropractic & Wellness; COR; and Ahlers, Aesthetics & Wellness — were positive and willing to work with the inconveniences from next door, though they ultimately were unaffected by the fire. Hild also said State Farm Insurance Agent Melissa Smith also was helpful.
“Once again, this reminds me of the benefits of living in a small
town. I appreciate all of you,” she said.
Imperial II staff took to social media to say they will be temporarily closed.
“Everyone on our team is safe and doing well, and we’re incredibly grateful for all the kind messages and continued support we’ve received during this time,” they wrote. “We’ll be working hard behind the scenes and will keep you updated on our reopening. Thank you for your understanding and for being part of our community — we can’t wait to welcome you back soon.”
(Orchard Antelope County News, Orchard, July 23, 2025.)
Northeast Nebraska Firefighters Association Annual Meeting
By Marlene Bomar, Secretary-Treasurer
The Northeast Nebraska Volunteer Firefighters Association Annual meeting was held Aug. 10, in Clarkson, NE. The new officers for 2025-2026 are President Mahkenna Koinzan from Ponca, Vice President Amy Clausen from Blair and Secretary/Treasurer Marlene
Bomar from Battle Creek. The host departments for 20252026 are as follows: November 2025 - Dakota City; February 2026 - Blair; May 2026 - Scribner; August 2026 - Ponca.
The Snyder Volunteer Fire and Rescue received the Cox (Bill and Kreg Cox) award for the most members attending the Annual meeting from one department.
Great job Clarkson Volunteer Fire and Rescue on hosting the Northeast Nebraska Firefighters Association Annual Meeting.
40 Year Award recipients were: Launette Kotik from Winslow; Pat Smeal from Snyder; Tom Schmidtz from Wayne and Dan Wagner from Dodge.
50 Year Award recipient was Ray Keifer from Madison.
Snyder Volunteer Fire and Rescue members, front row left to right: Gerald Kasmeier, Dan Kreikemeier and Mike Smeal. Back row: Pat Smeal, Monica Smeal, Tom Kreikemeier, Mark Kreikemeier and Josh Kreikemeier.
Past President Dave Hanel presenting Marlene Bomar with the Secretary/Treasurers badge.
Past President Dave Hanel presenting the new President Mahkenna Koinzan with the Presidents badge.
Mahkenna Koinzan presenting Dave Hanel his Past Presidents badge.
Mahkenna Koinzan presenting Pat Smeal his 40 year pin. New Officers for 2025-2026 are left to right: Marlene Bomar, Mahkenna Koinzan and Amy Clausen.
Mahkenna Koinzan presenting Ray Keifer his 50 year plaque.
Nebraska City firefighters rescue couple trapped in burning home
Nebraska City firefighters rescued a Nebraska City couple from their burning home Thursday night, August 7. 911 dispatch: “Advising it’s very smoky. They’re in the bedroom on the second floor.” The call was dispatched at 9:26 p.m. as two people trapped upstairs with the fire below.
Asst. Fire Chief Brian Ehmke:
“When we arrived on the scene we did see smoke and flame. We immediately went to a victim rescue. We had a little trouble getting into the house. We did finally get into the house. We got both parties extricated from the house and they were taken to a local hospital.” Inside there was heavy smoke, but a 911 dispatcher still had a woman on the phone who helped lead rescuers up the stairs into the room.
Ehmke: “They were on the phone with fire dispatch with the sheriff’s office and they relayed the information to us, which helped to be able to find them.”
Fire Chief Rob Schreiner said the 911 dispatcher is also a firefighter.
Schreiner: “He kept them calm. They could’ve panicked and ran into the hall or whatever and could’ve made the situation worse, but he kept them calm. … stay there, they’re coming for you. They were telling him they couldn’t breathe and he’s working with them to mitigate the problem and our guys were working to get to them.” Both John and Joan Dutt sustained smoke inhalation, according to their daughter Anne.
The dispatcher had the couple stay close to the floor and was in contact with firefighters inside of the burning building. One of the victims was helped out and the other was carried out. Anne Dutt said Friday morning that both of her parents are doing well.
Dutt: “I thought that I was going to lose them because I was so … I’m still shaken up today, but I’ve got family and friends that are helping out.” Ehmke said there was a secondary report that an infant might be in the house, so the search continued. Two dogs were rescued, including Mr. Dutt’s therapy dog. Meanwhile, a second interior crew was battling the fire, which was away from the upstairs hallway.
Ehmke: “The fire was contained to the back of the residence. Of course we had smoke throughout the house, but the fire was quickly knocked down and we were able to get them down through the stairway.”
Three Nebraska City rescue units responded. The Dutts were transported to CHI Health St. Mary’s and John was taken by medical helicopter to a Lincoln hospital. A doctor from the hospital returned with an ambulance to the scene to assist with heat stress for firefighters. The Nebraska City Airport reports 89 percent humidity at the time of the fire.
Dutt: “I would say thank you for rescuing my parents and
thank you for being there to help. I’m glad we have a great community and rescue squad that will help our community out.” Schreiner said the city recently purchased a quarter million dollars worth of new SCBA equipment and firefighters train regularly on rescue operations during a structure fire.
Hastings crews respond to house fire
Hastings Fire and Rescue responded to a structure fire around 5:50 a.m., on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 1518 W. Seventh St. The one resident, an adult male, exited the structure on his own but did sustain minor injuries. The fire was under control in about five minutes. The fire has been determined to be unintentional and caused by combustibles too close to a stove top. The fire was contained in the kitchen, but the structure sustained heat and smoke damage as a result of the incident. Hastings Police Department and City of Hastings Street Department responded to the incident as well. The Hastings Rural Fire Department also responded, however, they were cancelled enroute as HFR crews were able to handle with their duty crew. The American Red Cross was working to find housing for the resident of the fire-damaged structure. The home did not have any working smoke alarms. Hastings Fire & Rescue reminds the public to have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in homes.
Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting Structural Company Officers Course
SFM – Training Division Course Announcement
The Training Division of the State Fire Marshal’s Office will be hosting the following National Fire Academy direct delivery course:
WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE FIREFIGHTING FOR STRUCTURAL COMPANY OFFICERS (F0610)
WHEN: Nov. 4 – 5, 2025
WHERE: 415 E 16th Street, Fremont, NE
COST: No cost for National Fire Academy Class COURSE DESCRIPTION: This two-day course identifies operational activities and safety concerns for structural Company Officers (COs) assigned to a
wildland urban interface (WUI) incident.
Topics covered and discussion include; Introduction to Wildland Urban Interface firefighting tactics and challenges, working within the interface environment, basic understanding of wildland fire behavior, command and control issues of firefighting in the Urban Interface and applying tactics of structural firefighters in the Urban Interface. Underlying all material is the ongoing need for firefighter safety during this type of operations.
To register, click the following link and register on the Training Divisions registration page under NFA DD: https://nebraskasfmtd. ne.gov/Courses/Courses_Avail. aspx
Once on this page, click on NFA-DD at the top and then click on “register” for the course you are interested in.
PLEASE REMEMBER: The NFA has a policy that there must be a minimum of 15 students registered for a course 40 days in advance of the start of the class in order to give the class approval so please register EARLY.
Train collides with pickup truck in central Nebraska
A train crashed into a pickup truck in central Nebraska on Thursday.
Just before 3:30 p.m., the Chapman Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department was called to the railroad tracks near 7th Road and Highway 30.
When crews arrived, they found a bystander parked on Highway 30 with the man whose pickup was hit by the train. According to the fire department, the man was able to get out of his truck before it collided with the train.
No injuries were reported due to the crash.
There is no word on what caused the collision.
The Merrick County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol were also called to the scene.
(Nebraska Now, ABC 8, Aug. 15, 2025; written by Mark Fischer, staff writer.)
If you have it and don’t need it... SELL IT!
jeff@nebraskafirefighter.com