Oklahoma Firefighter magazine Feb/March/April 2023

Published quarterly for members of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association to educate its membership, to improve the fire service and to enhance the value and dignity of their profession, either paid or volunteer.

Editor in ChiEf Mike Kelley mkelley@osfa.info

Co-Editor Sheri Nickel sherin@osfa.info

Managing Editor Penelope Soldan penelopes@osfa.info

Get your Oklahoma Firefighter magazine the minute it goes to press! Read it on your smart phone, laptop or other digital device! Simply call (405-424-1452) or email the OSFA office (osfa@osfa.info) and request digital editions!

Remembering Jim Minx - Pages 4, 26-33

Moore Fire Station #2, circa

Winter Workshop

OSFA

Reception

2021 ORFA Convention

Tony Lopez: OSFA 1st Vice President’s Report

Greetings Oklahoma Firefighters! What a year!

2022-23 OSFA EXECUTIVE BOARD

PRESIDENT

Jim Ed Nimmo Tulsa FD jimnimmo7@gmail.com

1ST VICE PRESIDENT Tony Lopez Midwest City FD tlopez@midwestcityok.org

2ND VICE PRESIDENT Donnie Bennett Oklahoma City FD donben1889@gmail.com

3RD VICE PRESIDENT Cary Provence Yukon FD cprovence@yukonok.gov

PAST PRESIDENT

Cliff Davidson Ringwood FD davidsoncliff@yahoo.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 29, 2023

OSFA Legislative Reception at Oklahoma Firefighters Museum

April 12-14, 2023

101st OFCA Conference in Lawton

April 15, 2023

Ride to Remember stops at Memorial

May 4-6, 2023

OSFA State Fire School in Tulsa

June 6, 2023

42nd ORFA Convention in Tahlequah

June 8-10, 2023

129th OSFA Convention in Tahlequah

June 8-10, 2023

91st OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Convention in Tahlequah

Midwest City FD

I hope everyone had a joyous holiday season. It was a very busy time for my family. Now it’s time to get back to business, as usual.

The Oklahoma fire service had a tough loss this past year with the passing of Jim Minx.

He was a very instrumental part of the OSFA. He was able to accomplish so much for the firefighters of Oklahoma.

He served on NFPA committees and helped institute the modern day fire helmet.

He helped pass multiple pieces of legislation. He also helped develop Plan B and the backdrop.

Jim served the Oklahoma State Fire Service for over 59 years.

I personally didn’t know Jim that well. I had several conversations with him over the years, mainly at conventions. But what I admired about him was his dedication to the firefighters of this state. I was also impressed by his friendship with Pete Stavros and his love for the scholarship program.

The fire service lost another great leader in Bobby Halton. He was able to do so much on the national fire scene, from serving on multiple NFPA committees, serving as editor of Fire Engineering and his role with FDIC.

I had the pleasure to hear Halton speak at FDIC and, man, what a speaker. If you didn’t get goosebumps from listening to him, you had to be asleep.

I know God has a plan, but let’s pray our losses are fewer this year.

Well, midterms are over, and what an election cycle it was. I don’t know about you, but I sure miss all the campaign ads.

Let’s hope all our elected officials can work together to get our state and country back on track. I know we have some bills that will be presented this session, so we will keep you informed on their progress.

Progress on the expansion is ongoing. The building is up, but there are a few things that still need to be done on the inside.

Hopefully we can get donations coming in to start on the next phase.

I have been sitting in on as many

committee meetings as I can. All I can say is that there are some very dedicated people who want to make the Oklahoma fire service the best place to serve.

The Educational Advisory Committee is hard at work on the OSFA State Fire School. There will be a lot of great classes offered, both H.O.T and cold. So I would encourage you to attend if possible. You wont be disappointed.

Convention is around the corner and I know OSFA President Jim Ed Nimmo and his guys are working hard to make it memorable. So be on the lookout for dates and deadlines.

When I was elected to this board, I had no idea on some of the decisions I would have to make and how it would effect some of my friendships in the fire service.

I do not take my decisions lightly. I study them, I research them, and I pray about them.

I make decisions on my own and on what is best for our whole organization. I know some of the decisions this board has made have not pleased everyone, but I promise they were done for the best.

My hope is that we all can work together for the best of the Oklahoma fire service -- active, retired, volunteer or paid. We are stronger when we stand together.

On a personal note, cancer sucks. We have a retired firefighter (had to retire due to cancer) placed on comfort care.

I had the pleasure to work along side of him at Station 2 for many years. When I made Chief, he was one of the men I acquired.

This firefighter was the hardest working firefighter I ever worked with. He has the loudest personality I have ever seen. He would give you the shirt off his back if you asked.

So it breaks my heart to see him in the shape he is in at such a young age, knowing that he is going to die. I would ask please say a prayer for him and his family for God to comfort them.

Please stay safe and God Bless. R.I.P. F-154.

Jim Minx and Pete Stavros welcome Governor David Walters to the 1994 OSFA Convention. For more photos/memories of Minx, see Pages 26-29.

Full

Mike Kelley: OSFA Executive Director’s Report

Happy New Year, Oklahoma Firefighters!

I trust that you each had an enjoyable holiday season with friends and family!

As we begin a new year, we have the ability to reflect on the past year and revel in the memories if it was a good one. Or, simply turn the page and start a new year with a fresh start if it wasn’t our best, whether that was due to our own choices or the cards that we were dealt.

I would encourage each of you to examine your own motives and not attempt to assign someone else’s. Too many times it seems that there are more opinions than noses as to what that fire chief, company officer, city manager, union president or leader is up to and very little self-reflection concerning what your own personal motivations might be.

Some of my greatest memories and purest enjoyment came sitting around the fire station kitchen table. Some of the funniest stories I ever heard were in that forum.

We would call it “Solving the world’s problems” or “Cussing and discussing.” There was a lot of bitching and complaining about literally everything and assigning perceived motivation and blame to everyone except who was seated at the table.

It was rare to hear anyone offer a solution or offer to be part of a solution or even realize that if they were miserable, they had the key to their own happiness. Instead it’s easier to blame someone else for my unhappiness. That’s what happens when you sit in an echo chamber of negativity.

I was always fortunate because while there was some of that, we typically challenged one another.

My point or challenge to each of you is simply this -- be willing to have a discussion with some-

one who you don’t think that you agree with or that you question what their motivation might be. Listen more than you speak. It’s hard to truly listen when you’re forming an argument.

Challenge number two is to evaluate that if there is a perceived problem with someone or something, could the problem -- whether it be personally or organizationally -- have something to do with you.

Matthew 7:3 NIV: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”

Mike’s new living translation of that verse: “It’s easy to see the faults in others and be completely blind to our own, even if they are the same.” It’s also a lot more fun than self-reflection.

And the third and final challenge is to be willing to change your opinion. And if you do, admit that to your echo chamber family. I’ve never seen people have less to say than when a group is complaining about someone and someone they respect says he/she is not what you think. That usually brings the conversation to a halt and the table clears one by one.

Before we criticize, have we been self-critical? It may be more fun to be part of the rah rah lynch gang! That’s also the easy way, as you don’t have to hurt yourself trying to have an original thought.

However, I promise you that it’s a lot more rewarding to try to be a part of the solution! I want to thank everyone throughout my time in the fire service who has helped me realize that I’m a completely flawed human being. However, the scars and flaws are lessons. I may not be any smarter but perhaps a bit wiser.

And if my scars and flaws can prevent one of you, my brothers and sisters, from experiencing a hardship, then I’ll consider it a journey well worth the pain.

Stay safe, my sisters and brothers, and may 2023 be your best year ever! Leave it better than you found it!

OSFA & MUSEUM STAFF

Executive Director Mike Kelley mkelley@osfa.info

Administrative Director Sheri Nickel sherin@osfa.info

Administrative Assistant/Membership Madelyn Roth madelynr@osfa.info

Administrative Assistant/OFCA Raegan Layne raeganl@osfa.info

Publications Penelope Soldan penelopes@osfa.info

Museum Director Gene Brown geneb@osfa.info

Museum Assistant Bob Noll bobn@osfa.info

Museum Assistant Lance Gill lanceg@osfa.info

Museum Volunteer Greg Roberts groberts1960@gmail.com

Museum Volunteer Andie Hernandez

OSFA & Museum Staff participating in No Shave November to help raise cancer awareness. Cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters, and it is important to be trained and educated on preventive steps you can take.

Bob Noll: Firefighters Museum Archivist

Oklahoma Fire Department Photos Now Online

Approximately 2,600 photographs of many Oklahoma Fire Departments are now available for viewing and downloading.

The project was funded by a grant from Oklahoma State University Fire Protection Publications. Chad Williams, Director of the Research Division of the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City, was our original contact for the project. He worked with Mark Phillips from North Texas State University to get the photos online for public viewing.

The project was coordinated in house at the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum by Greg Roberts, the museum’s photo/archivist.

To access the photos, go to www.okfiremuseum.com/museum. Once you’ve reached the museum’s website, click on “museum.” Click on “Online collection.” Click on “Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum” and go to “Search.”

Enter the fire department whose photos you wish to view. Example “Hooterville Fire Dept.” Click and enjoy!

If you have photos you wish to have included, please send them to gregr@ osfa.info or to bobn@osfa.info. Photos of your apparatus in the early days of your fire department would be the priority.

ABOVE: Pawhuska Fire Station on August 1, 2020

Pulled from the online collection of Oklahoma Fire Department photos

BELOW: Enid FD fleet circa 1920. Fleet is parked in the street in front of “Fire Station No. 1” There are five rigs and 24 firefighters in this photo

Pin Lugs vs. Rocker Lugs ... What’s the Deal?

Hose couplings and appliances from back Colonial times to the present have needed some way to tighten or loosen them.

Of course, the solution is a “wrench” or “spanner” of some sort. Naturally these wrenches had to have some means to positively interact to tighten the various devices.

The initial interface of the “spanner” to the hose was a point of contact called a “Pin Lug” (pictured at left in photos). This lug was approximately one half inch in diameter and height.

As far as tightening or loosing things, all went well. But firefighters are naturally aggressive, especially in advancing hose lines.

Unfortunately, most times when a pin lug came into contact with a door sill, a stair tread or a corner, it hung up. The fireman (in those days) had to trace the hose back to the jam, free it and then get back to the nozzle so advancement could continue.

This pin lug situation was obviously unacceptable. As a result, the “Rocker Lug” (pictured at right in photos) was developed in the early 1940s.

While hang ups did still occur from time to time, they were greatly reduced. The rocker lug, which is located sometimes 120 degrees apart around the circumference of the item to be tightened or loosen, is now very common.

There are still certain circumstances where you can find a pin lug. Fire department connections on automatic sprinkler systems, standpipe hose and some ship board applications are the exceptions.

Your museum has a policy of only using “period correct” items on the display apparatus.

As per this policy, we are continually looking for things with pin lugs to enhance the presentation of our displays. Why? Because most of the apparatus were manufactured during the time period pin lugs were common.

We are continually trying to acquire anything that might fit our policy. Items with pin lugs are very desirable for us, so we would respectfully ask you to audit your fire department for these items.

If you have something that you think might fit our criteria, please call the museum at 405-414-3440. We promise we’ll get back to you!

Gene Brown and Bob Noll change the tire on the 1928 Seagrave on display in the Museum

Brown: Firefighters Museum Director

Hello Everyone! Everything is going well here at your Oklahoma Firefighters Museum.

The new shop is nearing completion. We hope to have it done some time in February. Then we will get started on the 1959 LaFrance.

We will post progress on our youtube. Please look us up @ Oklahoma Fire Museum and like us on Facebook ( Oklahoma State firefighters Museum & Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial).

Our picture collection is now online. Please see Bob Noll’s article at left. He has put all the info on how to get logged in.

If you have any old pictures around your fire station, we would love to get copies for our collection.

If we can get them here, we will digitize the photos and return the originals back to you. This is a very important part of our history of the Oklahoma fire service. Stay Safe!

AR-15 RIFLE FUNDRAISER

Gene

James Fullingim: ORFA President’s Report

By the time you receive this issue of the Oklahoma Firefighter magazine, the legislative session is well underway.

However, at the time of this writing, we are just getting ready to get things started.

As most of you are aware, we received a 4% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2019. As part of the endeavor to make this COLA a reality, the OSFA and ORFA agreed that an increase in the multiplier for figuring the retirement benefits for our volunteer firefighters would be a top priority for the organizations.

This increase in the multiplier has yet to be achieved, and legislation is being introduced this session to address the issue.

We believe this is a critical issue and a valuable tool to assist Oklahoma’s volunteer fire service with our ongoing recruitment and retention problem.

Meanwhile, inflation continues to take its toll on the pensions of all our members.

At this time, we believe legislation will be introduced to provide some type of pension in-

crease for all retired public employees.

However, the ORFA Board decided it is in the best interest of our membership to ensure the message clearly gets to the State Capitol that our members need help, and we are working with Senator Weaver to bring forward a bill requesting an 8% COLA.

This is a two-year process, so we will not have another opportunity to seek a COLA until the 2025 legislative session.

We do not take the request for a COLA lightly, realizing it has a negative impact on the actuarial position of our pension, and that our investments have not produced good returns over the past eighteen months.

However, the buying power of our members’ pensions is eroding rapidly, and we must do something.

The fact that ORFA is seeking another COLA is no indication that we are any less committed to the multiplier increase for our volunteer firefighters.

We intend to be at the State Capitol on Wednesdays again this year and will be supporting the legislation to increase the multiplier.

2022-23 ORFA Executive Board

PRESIDENT James Fullingim, Norman nfdchief@hotmail.com

1ST VICE PRESIDENT Mike Duncan, Dewey mduncan51@aol.com

2ND VICE PRESIDENT Dr. Erick Reynolds, Milfay rerick@osufpp.org

3RD VICE PRESIDENT Marshall Dunnam, OKC dunnamm@yahoo.com

PAST PRESIDENT

A.K. “Yogi” Cole, Tulsa ycole@ipa.net

ORFA DIRECTOR Tippy Pierce, Moore fftip@swbell.net

The Final Fire Alarm sounded for retired Enid FD firefighter Bernard Flaming on Oct. 17, 2022. He was 93.

Bernard joined Enid FD in 1952 where he served for 20 years.

In 1995, Bernard was elected to the Executive Board of the Oklahoma Retired Firefighters Association. He was ORFA President in 1998.

Bernard also served with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, retiring in 1989 as a Captain after 38 years of service.

Along with his wife Alberta and brother Royce, he built and grew the Sav-A-Trip convenience store business throughout northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas.

Bernard loved gardening, carpentry, hunting and March Madness.

PHOTOS ABOVE: Lawton FD Retirees hosted a Thanksgiving Meeting and Supper on Nov. 15, 2022.

PHOTOS AT LEFT:

The 2023 ORFA Luncheon was held Oct. 29, 2022, and attendees enjoyed a bite to eat and fellowship with other ORFA members.

Ret. Norman FD

Bernard Flaming Enid FD

The legendary ability of Rosenbauer aerials is no myth. A 115’ vertical reach, auto-leveling turntables, platform collision protection and extremely stable short jacking capabilities ensure our aerials are up for any challange

Melanie Colvin: OSFA Benevolence/Membership Committee

Members of the Benevolence/Membership Committee have had some great discussions, and several projects are underway. We are looking at membership benefits and what we can do to improve on them.

We have looked at many options and through other state programs for ideas for our members.

We have found a few that we like, but we would like to hear from you, as well.

What are your thoughts on benefits that you would use if they were available?

At right is a QR code for a survey. Your answers would help guide us in making decisions to present for future benefits for all members of OSFA.

We are also currently working on the liaison program. We hope to have training ready soon.

One of the duties of a Liaison will be to attend funerals of our fellow firefighters. Through committee discussions, we felt it was important to be present for the families and departments of our fellow firefighters in

their time of need.

There will be a section on the OSFA website to allow members to notify the office of a serious illness or the passing of a firefighter. This will help us with information for the family for death benefits and options available to them that they may not know are available.

Did you know that one of the benefits OSFA has available is through Wilbert Funeral Services?

At no charge to the family, Wilbert will donate a stainless-steel burial vault when burial is chosen. If cremation is chosen, the family can choose any urn offered by Wilbert, and engraving is included as long as the urn they chose is the one to be engraved. If the urn is to be buried, then a stainless-steel urn vault is also provided at no charge.

I know none of us want to think about such things as our own funeral and the arrangements that must be made, and the cost involved. Having the option of donated engraving and vault options will help cut the overall costs.

I know that I want to make it as easy on my family as possible when the time comes. And if I can make my wishes known and take care of choices in advance, then they don’t have to make those decisions while trying to grieve.

Life Planning forms have also been put to-

gether for anyone to use to keep their important information in one place.

We had a bad flood come through my area a few years ago and my house flooded. I lost all my paperwork. It took me a long time to get copies of everything my family needed again. Lots of phone calls, records requests and hours tracking things down.

I now have this information on the form and a digital copy so that if I need to show documentation of who I am I can.

I saw a gentleman trying to get insulin because he lost all his medications in the same flood along with his wallet. It was difficult to watch the pharmacy turn him down for refills because he no longer had his driver’s license to prove who he was for a medication that could save his life.

In general, we answer the call of others when they are in need, but we never think of these things happening to us. The adage of better safe than sorry rings true in these situations.

Speaking from experience, having your information available in an emergency is crucial to getting help you need form outside agencies.

We will have more information on the projects we are working on as we go. We look forward to hearing from you through the survey. It will be a great help to the committee’s efforts, so thank you in advance for your time!

DEADLINES FOR 129TH OSFA CONVENTION

April 10, 2023 (by 4:30 p.m.)

Legislative and Constitutional Resolutions are due in the OSFA office and physically handed to employee/director or emailed to a director: mkelley@osfa.info or sherin@osfa.info

April 24, 2023

Departments conduct elections for delegates and new employees.

May 9, 2023

Membership forfeited (30-days before convention). If membership dues are NOT PAID, members are not allowed to attend convention.

May 30, 2023

Credentials (convention registration) must be turned into OSFA office or completed online.

ATTENTION ALL CANDIDATES FOR OSFA THIRD VICE PRESIDENT

Oklahoma Firefighter will give approximately 1/4 page of free space to all candidates running for Third Vice President of the OSFA.

Deadline for submitting information and/or photos is April 15.

Contact Oklahoma Firefighter editor Penelope Soldan via email (penelopes@osfa.info) to take advantage of this offer.

Photograph of 24 people standing in front of a stable. The Norman FD team and wagon also appear. This is believed to be the oldest known OSFA Convention photo, taken at the 3rd Convention held May 1896 in Norman.

The 8th OSFA Convention held May 1901 in Shawnee

Sara Johnson: OSFA Women’s Aux Report

First things first ... We would like to thank everyone who helped with donations to make our first OSFAWA toy drive a success.

We partnered with the Family Crisis Center to help families in need provide a Christmas full of memories.

Spring is almost here, which means Convention is right around the corner.

The 129th OSFA Convention and 91st OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Convention will be June 8-10 in Tahlequah.

We are always inviting new faces to our events that we hold in conjunction with other convention activities.

We will be holding our 2nd annual Cornhole Tournament this year along with our silent auction.

If you will be there anyways with your firefighter, stop by our table and see what we have planned (I promise it is better than sitting in the hotel room all day while they are in their meetings).

Our meetings are held on Friday and Saturday mornings. We also enjoy a ladies luncheon on Friday afternoon.

Annual memberships will also be due at this time. It’s $20 for the year, and your local department does not have to be a member of the state auxiliary.

If you have items that you would like to donate for the silent auction being held during the banquet on Friday night, please contact a board member so that we can arrange pickup.

All proceeds raised from the Cornhole Tournament and the silent auction will benefit multiple fire-related organizations across the state, including the Burn Camp and the Oklahoma Firefighters Memorial.

Lastly, we will be nominating a new Junior Board member. Even if you do not want to sit on the board this year, come and find out what we are all about, so that in the future you can be a part of the board.

Craig Hannan: Fire Protection Publications Director

Greetings Oklahoma Firefighters!

I am sure we have all heard of the U.S. Fire Administration. But do we know what role the USFA plays in the fire service?

The USFA is an entity of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency. The mission is to support and strengthen fire and emergency medical services and stakeholders to prepare for, prevent, mitigate and respond to all hazards.

The current U.S. Fire Administrator is Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell. Dr. Merrell is a lifelong member of the fire service. From her time as a paramedic with the Memphis Fire Department to 26 years at the International Association of Firefighters, Dr. Merrell has been at the forefront of issues facing the fire service.

The USFA has a variety of resources available to you. Online self-study and instructor-led courses on leadership, management, WUI, EMS, NIMS and CRR are available at no cost to you. In addition, the collection of data and statistics are available from national to state level trends in fire safety. The National Fire Academy falls under the USFA and has on site courses throughout each year.

In Fall 2022, the U.S. Fire Administrator’s Summit on Fire Prevention and Control was held in Emmitsburg, Maryland. IFSTA was fortunate to have the IFSTA Executive Board Chair, Chief Mary Camelli, and Vice-Chair, Chief Josh Stefancic, attend the 3-day Summit.

Six critical issues were identified for immediate action on the part of the federal government.

1. Impact of climate change on WUI

2. Fire Service apprenticeship program

3. Impact of occupational cancer

4. Impact of behavioral health

5. Impact of codes and standards

6. Elevation of the fire service in federal policy development

Details on each of the issues are found at the USFA website (www.usfa. fema.gov). While we may have a tendency to separate ourselves from issues at the federal level or from either of the coasts, every one of the six critical issues is an issue here in Oklahoma. I encourage you to read the report online and use the information to help you in your department.

The challenge of training today’s firefighters requires relevant, factual resources to increase the safety of firefighters while performing a high-risk job.

I encourage you to explore the U.S. Fire Administration as another tool in your training resource toolbox.

Until next time, be safe, be well, be well trained.

PRESIDENT Kendra Engle kedamo10@yahoo.com

VICE PRESIDENT Courtney Thompson courtneythompson524@ gmail.com

SEC/TREASURER Haley Thompson hthomp933@gmail.com

JR BD MEMBER Sara Johnson sjohnson033@ yahoo.com

PAST PRESIDENT Ashley Corbett ashleyc814@att.net

2022-23 OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Executive Board

w Eldon Henderson, Ret. Enid: The first car I drove to high school was a 1-year-old 1964 Austin A-40 Farina. It was a British two door hatchback. It had a 48 HP four cylinder engine with a four speed manual transmission. It had a black top and a dark blue body with a black interior.

It was a small car and got very good gas mileage. The price of gasoline back then was around 30 cents a gallon. My after-school job provided more than enough to drive around on Friday and Saturday nights to the A&W, the Tasty Freeze, and cruise the main drag with a date.

w Keith Bryant, Ret, OKC: The first car I drove to high school was a white 1962 Chevy II Nova.

w Eddie Blankenship, Chouteau: I drove to school in a 1950 Chevy 1/2 ton deluxe cab truck, color light green.

w Bryan West, OSU-FST: My first car was a 1971 Chevrolet Impala, 4 door, gold in color. My uncle gave me the car to fix up because it wasn’t much to look at, but it got me to the places I wanted to go.

w Darren Alexander, Cedar Country: White 77 Pontiac Trans Am. Firebird emblem on the 6.6 shaker hood, air shocks and glass packs. I can confirm there was a working 8-track in the car and a lot of Van Halen played in those years. Greatest car I ever had.

w Kara Owens, Piedmont: Don’t laugh too hard! 1979 Buick 4 Door - Gold in color - aka the boat, because it was so long!

w Colton Castle, Jet: 1994 Ford Ranger, red 5 speed.

w Jerry Lankford, Hobart: 1986 was the year, and I drove a red and white 1968 Chevy pickup. Later that summer, I purchased a 1970s GTO. I miss that car!

w Kendall Williams, Tulsa: Ugh! My first car was a white 1982 Chrysler LeBaron convertible. My grandma gave it to me and she was so excited.

It had wood paneled interior, an 8-track and I named her Bertha because she was giant. This was 1999. I was so embarrassed. I’d be driving and the huge metal clamp for the convertible top would pop loose. I’d have to pull over to close it and almost having a heart attack.

w Aaron Burns, Ret. Broken Arrow: 1983 blue Datsun pickup.

w Michael Baker, Tulsa: 1971 Chevrolet El Camino - Yellow.

w Jeremy Goodrich, Yukon: 1965 Red Mustang 289 coupe which I still have.

Courtesy of Darren Alexander

w George Fina, Ret. OKC: 1934 Ford Coupe, OSU orange.

w Tim Dorsch, Fairmont Fire Chaplain: The first car I drove to high school was a 1955 Mercury, 4 door (I think), royal blue with a white top and a steering wheel that (felt like it was) 3 feet in diameter!

w Dan Little, Tulsa: 1981 Dodge Colt. I was driving as a Junior to Xavier High in Middletown, Ct.

w Jacob Stangl, Edmond:1998 Red Ford F-150.

w Bert Norton, Midwest City: I had a 1985 Ford Ranger, charcoal gray.

w Zach Bruhn, OKC: 1984 Gold Firebird.

w Greg Lindsay, OKC: The first car I drove to school was my dad’s 1953 Chevy pickup. Strait six engine, 3 on the tree shift, and 7 light cab.

w Joel Bain, Ret. Midwest City: My first vehicle was a 1981 Chevy short wide bed single cab pickup. It was all black with red interior. I miss that truck! Lots of good memories in that truck with some MWC firemen back in the middle 1990s.

w Sara Johnson, OSFA Women’s Auxiliary: My first car was a silver 1989 Cutlass Cierra.

w Mike “Rookie” Billingsley, Ret. Nichols Hills: 1952 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe (light gray). I bought it for $225.

w Melanie Colvin, Lexington: I drove a 1980 Delta 88 Oldsmobile that was white with a blue cloth top and gray bondo on the driver’s side door from when my dad hit the neighbor’s mailbox in a snow storm.

The electric seat was stuck all the way back and down, so I had to use pillows to be able to sit high enough to see over the steering wheel and close enough to the peddles to drive. I loved that car!

Courtesy of George Fina

Courtesy of Mike Billingsley

Approximately 85 attendees representing 42 Fire Departments

Kelly Ransdell: NFPA Report

Happy New Year! As we enter 2023, there are so many things we can do to stay educated and protect our community.

Micromobility

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has created a new micromobility device safety webpage in response to the concerns fire officials have about the growing number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries that power electric bikes and electric scooters (e-bikes and e-scooters) as their popularity increases.

The webpage features information about why e-bikes and e-scooters catch fire, what some jurisdictions are doing to better regulate that risk, and what tips people can follow to stay safe if they use, store, or charge e-bikes or e-scooters.

A free safety tip sheet is also available for download.

According to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), in New York City alone, battery-powered micromobility devices have sparked more than 130 fires so far in 2022, putting the city on pace for more than 160 e-bike or e-scooter fires this year.

This number represents a roughly 50 percent increase over the 104 blazes the FDNY reported in 2021, which killed four people.

Five people have died in such fires in 2022, including a 5-year-old girl who died in August from a blaze sparked by a charging e-scooter.

According to Allied Market Research, the global micromobility market is expected to grow from about $40 billion today to $215 billion by 2030, with much of that growth attributed to the boom in battery-powered electric devices.

By 2023, roughly 300 million e-bikes are expected to be used on city streets worldwide.

NFPA recommends these tips when charging and storing e-bikes and e-scooters to help prevent fires:

• Only purchase and use devices, batteries, and charging equipment that are listed by a nationally recognized testing lab and labeled accordingly

• Only use the battery and the charger that were designed for, and came with, the device

• Do not keep charging the device or device battery after it is fully charged

• Store e-bikes, e-scooters and batteries away from exit doors and anything that can

get hot or catch fire

• Stop using the e-bike or e-scooter if you notice any of these problems with the battery: unusual odor; change in color; too much heat; change in shape; leaking, smoking, or not keeping a charge

• Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash. Recycling is always the best option. Take the batteries to a battery recycling location or contact your local waste department for disposal instructions

• Only have device repairs performed by a qualified professional

Be fire smart

For an overview of the safety hazards associated with electric micromobility devices and the regulations proposed to address those hazards, see “Full Throttle,” a feature story that appeared in the Fall 2022 issue of NFPA Journal.

Put a Freeze on Winter Fires

Heating, winter storms and candles all contribute to an increased risk of fire during the winter months.

NFPA and the U.S. Fire Administration are teaming up to help reduce your risk to winter fires and other hazards, including carbon monoxide and electrical fires.

Download our new infographics for use on your web site, blog or as free printable giveaways. One of the infographics is pictured at right.

Oklahoma Fire Safety Summit

Oklahoma will be hosting the Fire Safety Summit September 19, 2023 in Bethany.

Save the date and stay tuned for more information.

USFA Releases Findings From First Summit on Fire Prevention & Control

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a component of FEMA, released the “Executive Summary of the U.S. Fire Administrator’s Report” following the first U.S. Fire Administrator’s Summit on Fire Prevention and Control held in October 2022.

To read USFA’s report, go to usfa.fema.gov.

The Executive Summary outlines and previews key findings, including several crucial recommendations to national leaders to address the nationwide fire problem.

The testimonies, delivered by national fire service leaders, identified problems in America’s fire service, and recommended solutions. These proposed solutions have become the basis for the Fire Service National Strategy, championed by the USFA, and include:

▪ Preparing all firefighters for the climate-driven increase in

wildfires in the wildland urban interface (WUI) by providing them with the proper training and equipment.

▪ Investing in a national apprenticeship program to address the shortage of firefighters and to make the fire service more diverse and inclusive.

▪ Establishing a comprehensive firefighter cancer strategy that invests in research, provides access to screening for firefighters, and reduces and eliminates exposure to dangerous contaminates such as PFAS, otherwise known as “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to cancer and other health problems.

▪ Providing behavioral health resources and suicide prevention initiatives for all firefighters.

▪ Creating safer communities by implementing and enforcing codes and standards, especially in vulnerable populations providing affordable and fire-safe housing.

PURCHASE AN OKLAHOMA FIREFIGHTER LICENSE TAG!

• Oklahoma Firefighter tags cost $40 a year (on top of regular tag fees)

• $20 goes directly to the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum/Memorial

• Tags can be purchased from local tag agents any time during the year

• Tags can be customized to 6 letters as approved by the Tax Commission

Zach Bruhn: OSFA Educational Advisory Committee Report

Your Educational Advisory Committee has met a handful of times and has successfully organized an outstanding State Fire School for 2023.

OSFA’S John Futhey II Oklahoma State Fire School will be centered at Tulsa Tech over the weekend of May 4-6.

The committee members put in a lot of work, and we’ve got some really strong classes coming.

Sean Duffy, Dennis Reilly and Jeremy Sanders are just a few of the guest speakers we have lined out.

The HOT classes will include:

• Multiple forcible entry and ground ladder days by OSU-OKC and Mid-America FOOLs

• Advanced Fire Behavior

• VEIS by the OK Smoke Divers

• Heavy Exrication with Training Solutions

• FLAG through OSU-FST

• Through The Lock with 918 Training Solutions.

Your Educational Advisory Committee has been working diligently to make this an outstanding fire school.

Please come out and support this amazing lineup of classes and instructors at an extremely affordable rate (it’s FREE for OSFA members) right here in our Sooner State. We hope you will enjoy it, and I look forward to seeing you all there.

CPR BLS

2023 OSFA State Fire School Guest Speakers

Zach Bruhn, Oklahoma City FD Major at Station 7B, received the Shey P. Francis Award at the 2022 OSFA Convention. The award is presented to persons who are deemed worthy of his example, who have made a sincere dedicated effort to improve working conditions, funding, training opportunities and salaries and/or pensions for the firefighters of the State of Oklahoma.

Jacob Stangl: OSFA Public Education Committee Report

The Public Education Committee finished 2022 strong, planning for the 2023 Summit and discussing a statewide smoke alarm program.

The 2023 Oklahoma Public Education Summit will be held Sept. 19, 2023.

After hosting the 2022 summit in Tulsa, the committee decided to bring it back to the Oklahoma City Metro Area.

The committee discussed several options to host it, and while the exact location has not been finalized, we hope to announce the location soon.

We desire to rotate the annual summit between the OKC and Tulsa metro areas to allow members from all across the state to attend.

The committee is also discussing potential keynote speakers and topics. We encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions for speakers or topics for the 2023 Summit.

Despite decades of fire safety messaging centered around the importance of smoke alarms, our state and nation continue to see a correlation between fire deaths and smoke alarms’ presence (or lack thereof).

Additionally, there is a correlation between income levels and fire deaths.

Our fire departments must be able to provide working smoke alarms to those

Keith Bryant: Oklahoma State Fire Marshal Report

As a continuation of the on-going subject of Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), there is another aspect of this issue I believe is worthy of our attention.

Many cities, towns and some counties that have established their own AHJ do not have the resources or budget to hire a full time building official or, in the case of a city or town served by a volunteer fire department, there is no fire marshal.

Therefore, these communities will often hire a “third party” or “contract” building official or plans reviewer.

Most people offering these services to communities across the state are competent and qualified individuals.

Many are firefighters, fire inspectors and fire marshals in a municipal fire department and contract their services as plans reviewers to other cities as a means of secondary employment.

Others have a background in building codes as an engineer, architect, or contractor.

However, there are some that have limited knowledge and questionable credentials. Some even market themselves as someone who has the knowledge to “get around” certain requirements through a loose interpretation of the code.

This has led to some building

projects being reviewed, approved, permitted, and constructed not meeting minimum state code.

The result of this is increased costs, delayed completion of the project, or worse, the building is built non-compliant with the current building and fire code.

If your community is considering hiring a contract building official and/or plans reviewer, it is critically important to ensure that the person being considered has the qualifications and certifications necessary to provide these services. Currently, there is no statutory or licensing requirements for anyone offering these services. Therefore, we would highly recommend thorough vetting of anyone your city may be considering doing this work for you.

They should provide you with proof of any certifications, level of education and work history. They should also provide references from other cities, towns, or counties they either currently or have previously provided services to.

While a contract building plans reviewer can be a good economic option for a city or town, the fire service in this state should be involved in the process of developing requirements and regulations that would require those who provide these services do so in a manner that ensures the highest level of public safety in the design and construction of buildings.

who otherwise would not have them. But we understand that purchasing large quantities of smoke alarms is impossible for many career and volunteer departments.

Our committee is working to develop a statewide network for smoke alarm resources (grants, funding, etc.) while also working to provide smoke alarms to departments.

The OSFA received funds for smoke alarms and is working on a bulk order purchase.

Please reach out to the OSFA or one of the committee members for more information on obtaining smoke alarms for your community.

In January, Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment announced the acquisition of Cabin Diesel LLC which includes parts sales and a truck repair shop in Big Cabin, Oklahoma.

Bruckner’s has been committed to keeping drivers and business on the road since 1932. B.M. Bruckner Sr. started the tradition by selling and servicing Mack Trucks in Texas.

The dedication to service continued with his son, Ben Bruckner Jr., and grandsons Chris and Brian Bruckner.

The landscape of the company has expanded with 38 locations in eight states representing American built brands, Volvo and Mack Trucks.

Edmond FD

Memories from Steve Lumry

2005 OSFA President

2018-2020 OSFA Executive Director

Former OSFA Executive Director

Jim Minx passed away on Nov. 17, 2022.

It’s hard to sum up the parts of a person when the sum is greater than the individual parts. That was the case with Jim.

His daughter Lisa described Jim’s priorities as faith, family and fire service. She said they were all in the first priority, but in the order of 1a, 1b, and 1c.

Jim served in the Oklahoma Air National Guard prior to his service on the OKC Fire Department. The military has an expression about taking care of their own, and Jim exemplified this in his time in the Air National Guard and serving the fire service, as he always had our six.

Jim always left things better than he found them.

Jim served on the OKC Fire Department where he was hired July 10, 1963. He was promoted to Driver on March 1, 1967, where he drove a chief. He then was promoted to Captain on Nov. 15, 1974.

Jim was an old school officer who thought we were all grown men and should act that way.

One morning, when Jim was in his fire station office located right off of the day room, he overheard one of the younger guys telling the other firefighters that he had written his phone number on the chalkboard so they could call him each shift to make sure he would make it to work on time.

Jim walked out to the day room and promptly erased the firefighter’s phone number and announced, “We are all grown men and are expected to act like adults and make it to work on time and then do our jobs.” The shocked firefighter was never late again without being called.

Jim served as Secretary Treasurer of Local 1524, serving with Tom Riddle, who was President. Upon Tom’s retirement, Tom asked Jim to run for Local President. Jim then became president from Oct. 1976 to Oct. 1979.

In order to restore drivers on the Chiefs cars, the importance of which he learned from his time driving a chief, he made a deal with the city to give up the unpopular airport fire stations to private companies. This was during a time of budget cuts and he was able to save promotable positions.

Jim retired from the Oklahoma City Fire Department on Aug. 1, 1983.

He took the experiences he learned on the fire department and through the Union with him to serve as the assistant director at OSFA on July 18, 1983.

The Pension System and OSFA were one and the same at the time. Bob Hollander was the OSFA Executive Director but spent most of his time concentrating on the transition to a statewide pension system. That left Jim running the OSFA from almost Day 1 of working there. He hit the ground running.

Jim had the dream of creating an Oklahoma Firefighters Memorial that would honor all firefighters who served in Oklahoma since 1894. It would be the

REMEMBERING JIM MINX

OSFA Directors and Board Members --

The Final Fire Alarm OSFA Executive Director 17, 2022. He was 87.

Jim joined the Oklahoma 1963 where he served for Two weeks before retiring Jim was hired as OSFA Assistant And on July 1, 1988, he was Executive Director. During his 18 years as

best firefighter memorial in the country.

Through his leadership and determination, ground was broken for the Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial during the 100th annual OSFA Convention in 1994. Fundraising and work continued on the memorial until the grand opening at the 2000 OSFA Convention.

It is still the best and most inclusive firefighter memorial in the country.

In 1987, Jim was approached by Charlie Stone with an idea that Charlie had learned about at a firefighter conference, the Louisiana Plan.

Jim worked hard on a strategy with Pete Stavros and Bob Jones from the pension system and many others, to finally pass legislation creating the Louisiana Plan, or as it’s now known, Plan B.

It took effect in 1989. Years later, in 2004, several needs were identified to improve Plan B and Jim led us into the Backdrop era.

These two items caused the fighters to go up from 20 years experienced firefighters on the 7.5 additional years, improving citizens of Oklahoma and the Firefighters Pension and Retirement Jim created tax credits for improved funding for paid and training and continually worked Jim came up with and implemented early 1990s that brought firefighter the cost of living over three really didn’t want to do anything But Jim and Pete Stavros convinced the help of firefighters from Jim worked on firefighter for many years. He was instrumental manufacturers’ reluctance to helmets to begin the era of the

past

Donations in memory of Jim can be made to the Pete and

MINX OSFA Executive Director 1988-2006

Memories from Jim Ed Nimmo

2023 OSFA President

On behalf of the OSFA Executive Board and Staff, I would like to recognize the passing of Jim Minx, former Executive Director of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association.

Jim served the OSFA in various capacities through multiple decades.

To be successful in any member driven organization takes many attributes, but the one that impressed me most about Jim was his ability to communicate.

He had an easy speaking voice and the ability to communicate complicated issues in a way that people could both understand and digest.

Alarm sounded for Former Director Jim Minx on Nov.

Oklahoma City FD in for 20 years.

retiring from OCFD, Assistant Director. was named OSFA as Exec. Director,

the average service of fireyears to 27.5 years -- keeping the job for an average of improving public safety for the the health of the Oklahoma Retirement System. for volunteer firefighters, and volunteer firefighters worked for firefighter safety. implemented a plan in the firefighter pensions back up to years when the legislature anything about the situation. convinced them to do it with all around the state.

firefighter safety through the NFPA instrumental in overcoming to improving firefighter the current standards that

Jim played an integral part in conceiving, designing and completing the Memorial built to recognize and honor Oklahoma firefighters.

For his work and dedication, the delegation at the 121st OSFA Convention in 2015 unanimously voted to rename the Memorial’s main entrance the James R. Minx Sentinel Room.

And at the 125th OSFA Convention in 2019, Jim received OSFA’s highest award, the David Bain Award.

produced the current styles of firefighter helmets.

In Jim’s early days on the fire department, we still wore oil field worker helmets. Those transitioned to a light plastic version helmet that was woefully inadequate for the ever-evolving dangers of the fire service.

Jim was also intimately involved in standards on bunker gear and breathing apparatus, now called SCBAs. He helped bring those up to the level now enjoyed by our members.

On Jan. 1, 2006, Jim stepped down as OSFA Executive Director and moved into the role of legislative liaison where he continued to work on and pass legislation to the benefit of all firefighters in Oklahoma.

Over the years, he is credited with passing at least 60 pieces of legislation -- a feat that even seasoned legislators have trouble reaching.

He retired from OSFA in 2009 after 25 years of dedicated service. Remember, this was 25 years AFTER he completed 20 years on the fire department.

What I found so interesting was that it resonated with rural, suburban and urban members; old and young; volunteer and paid.

The first time I heard him speak, I would have sworn he grew up in southeast Oklahoma, only to find out he was from Oklahoma City.

I pray that his family, friends and those who he touched throughout his life will find comfort in the legacy that he left behind through his dedication and impact on the fire service in this great state.

However, he was not done yet. Jim was elected as Firefighter Museum Board President where he served until May 2022 -- 59 years of service to firefighters.

On top of all this, Jim still served his church as a deacon, his family as a faithful husband and father, and his community where he was also honored and awarded highly, receiving the J.W. Mashburn Community Leadership Award and voted into the Capitol Hill High School Hall of Fame.

Jim was one of my heroes, my fire service mentor and, most of all, my friend. He constantly reminded me that when they go low, we go high -- a skill that Jim mastered and a lesson that I still try to practice to this day.

Jim chose to try to do a little good throughout his life, and I know he would want each of us to do so, too. Jim truly was a devout Christian, beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, leader, servant, mentor and a friend to all who met him.

past and present -- share their memories of Jim Minx on the next few pages and Lela Stavros Scholarship through the OKC Community Foundation (www.occf.org/scholarships)

Tulsa FD

Dedication Ceremony for the James R. Minx Sentinel Room in 2015

Memories from Cliff Davidson 2022 OSFA President

The OSFA and the firefighters of Oklahoma lost a true champion of our cause with the passing of Jim Minx.

He worked tirelessly for all the firefighters and the OSFA.

Not many topics are talked about that his name is not mentioned.

His many years of dedication have benefited or affected every firefighter in our state for the better. His presence as a mentor will be greatly missed.

Memories from Phil Ostrander 2013-2018 OSFA Executive Director

When the Executive Board hired me as Executive Director of the OSFA, I was also the OSFA lobbyist and had been for a while.

As the OSFA lobbyist, we fought and won many key battles at the Capitol for firefighters, largely because I had the distinct advantage of having someone I could talk to and get the history and background of any of our legislative issues.

I had a man who was a part of it all and could provide me with his institutional memory.

More importantly, I learned a life lesson from him that success comes from knowing how to treat both your allies and your adversaries with the same respect that you would want. You don’t have to try to destroy them to win the day.

He practiced what he preached and we are better off today because of that.

My interpretation of a few of the Life Lessons I attribute largely to my experiences with Jim Minx:

(1) Love your family and your God.

(2) Work hard for those who entrust their futures to you.

(3) Lead with your eyes on the path ahead, always looking for a better way to achieve you goals.

(4) Treat your allies and adversaries with the same respect you expect. You will be better for it.

(5) Take what life hands you and make it better.

(6) Never be surprised by who’s path you crossed.

Your Success is Our Success.

Beutel Goodman is a proud supporter of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association

Ringwood FD

Jim Minx and Phil Ostrander at the 2018 OSFA Convention

Memories from Ray Hammons

2009

OSFA President

As a young firefighter just getting involved with the OSFA, I remember listening to Jim speak at different departments and firefighter functions.

And what I realized was not only did he speak clearly and precisely of his opinions, he displayed passion for the fire service and compassion for the firefighters.

As years went on, I found Jim to be a true friend and confidant, helping me with advice and guidance as I know he did for a lot of folks!

One thing is for sure -- if you didn’t know where you stood on an issue, Jim was always willing to tell you where you should stand!

And my wife said, “He was always friendly to me. I liked him!”

Memories From Sheri Nickel

Director

The Oklahoma State Firefighters Association lost a legend.

The passing of former Executive Director Jim Minx has been felt deeply in all of us that care of about this organization. He left his legacy in all aspects of the way that we operate.

Jim was an advisor whenever my new, small fire department in Garfield County needed someone to help us resolve internal strife with an out-of-line member back in the year 2000.

We were all brand new and didn’t know our roles. And whenever I called the OSFA office for help, Jim took the time to explain what we needed to do and helped me formulate a plan and write a letter dismissing the fellow.

His example of leadership and patience with a brand new, clueless firefighter thrown into a hostile situation demonstrated what the OSFA should represent. This organization is inclusive for all of its members, whether it is a small rural department or a large metro agency. We should be a resource for whenever a member needs advice.

I have always remembered how that issue was resolved and have used his example time and time again whenever someone calls and asks me for advice.

I have just finished my sixth year here at the OSFA office, and I received one of the highest compliments from Jim several years ago while I was working under Steve Lumry’s direction.

Jim pulled me aside at one of our events and began questioning me about volunteer fire departments and telling me stories of how he and Pete Stavros used to travel the state to promote the OSFA.

We compared stories and I told him how we were helping so many firefighters with the training we were able to provide. He questioned me on my thoughts about how the organization should help the members, and we had a pretty in-depth conversation.

He finally put his hand on my shoulder and said, “You know, Sheri, I have always taken pride in the work that Pete and I did during our time, but I think what you and Steve are doing far exceeds anything we’ve ever done.”

I have never forgotten those words even through the darkest days of working in this sometimes political environment, and the pride that it instilled in my heart is one of the things that keeps me driven to always do better for our members.

As we make changes in our daily operations here in the office, and we deal with people who complain about change and don’t want to focus on making the fire service better for everyone.

I feel confident that Jim Minx is smiling down on us and is proud of what we are doing for the association and is proud that we are staying focused on the mission of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association and continue to move it forward.

OSFA Administrative

Orlando FD

Former OSFA Staff Reunion in May 2021. L-R: Dana Cramer, Diana Cramer, Diane Ries, Bobbie Canfield Drake, Sherry Cochran Schmees, Jim Minx.

Tahlequah FD Ret.

2011 OSFA Legislative Reception 2014 ORFA Convention

Memories from Marshall Dunnam 1995 OSFA President

Jim Minx was a great mentor and leader in the fire service.

I remember Jim as the Union President for the Oklahoma City Firefighters, and when he retired, he was just days away from being eligible for the escalator pension plan. This did not detour him, but made him a stronger advocate for firefighters.

Jim was instrumental in many laws that affected OKC FD firefighters’ working conditions and pensions.

I remember in 1989 when we were successful in creating Plan B. Jim had a big hand in that legislation along with Pete Stavros.

In the early and mid 1990s, I remember being on the OSFA Board under the direction of Jim. He always had great advice and told it exactly like it was.

One thing that stood out to me was the way Jim respected firefighters (paid and volunteer). Jim and Pete spent many hours on the road, visiting volunteer departments all over the state. In closing I would like to say how proud I was to serve under his leadership. Jim will always be in our hearts.

Memories from Herb Bradshaw

2011-2013 OSFA Executive Director 1996 OSFA President

I first met Jim in the early 1980s, and as a young Union President, Jim gave me a lot of insight into the art of negotiations.

I later became closer to Jim when I was elected to the OSFA Executive Board in 1992.

One of my fondest memories was at the OSFA Christmas party my year as President. Jim asked my daughter’s middle school string quartet to play at the dinner.

Not expecting to be paid, Jim asked the attendees to pass the hat for these young ladies. That was the type of gentleman he was.

Another memory was at the time I was planning my convention. I was getting pretty worried about everything and he sat me down and told me not worry, because no matter what, the convention was going to happen and it would be good.

When I was hired by the OSFA Executive Board as Executive Director, Jim was one of the first to congratulate me and offer his support and told me that he always felt that I would hold that position one day.

Jim as you Rest In Peace in heaven, I want you to know I was so glad I got see you and meet you.

Memories from Mike Ramsey

2001 OSFA President

The thought that comes to mind about Jim is the gratitude I feel for all the outstanding effort and work that he gave on behalf of the fire service.

The dedication that Jim had for all firefighters in health and safety, training, and pension issues is unequaled, in my opinion.

At the 101st OSFA Convention in 1995, Jim Minx presents a helmet to OSFA Photographer Cliff Staude, making him a Lifetime Member for his volunteer service.

Tulsa FD Ret.

Warr Acres FD Ret.

Jim Minx with Pete Stavros and James T. Langley at Oklahoma City FD’s Old Station 10 in 1972

2013 OSFA Legislative Reception

Claremore FD Ret.

Memories from Mike Bower 1989 OSFA President

My friend, Jim Minx, was possibly the most influential person in the history of the Oklahoma Fire Service.

Jim had the ability to bring several individual groups of the fire service together to work for a common cause.

Three of the examples where Jim’s influence and leadership shined brightly were the legislative passage of the Plan B Retirement Program that was approved by the legislature in 1989; legislation in 1993 that allowed the spouse of a deceased firefighter to continue to draw a pension after they remarried; and the construction of the Oklahoma Firefighters Memorial, one of the best memorials in the entire country.

Jim’s sidekick, Pete Stavros, also played an intricle part in bringing these projects to life, along with many firefighters throughout Oklahoma.

Jim was passionate about the remodel and expansion of the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum, as well as continuing to grow the Pete and Lela Stavros Scholarship Program that provides annual scholarship opportunities for children of Oklahoma firefighters.

Jim encouraged people to work together to accomplish goals. His leadership will be missed, but I know he would want us to continue to work together to accomplish the goals of the Oklahoma Fire Service.

MWC FD Ret.

Jim Minx, Mike Bower and ORFA Executive Board at the 2018 ORFA Convention

Jim Minx with OKC

Assistant City Manager JoeVan Bullard, David Bain & Pete Stavros in 1990

Memories from Tippy Pierce

2020-2021 OSFA Executive Director

In 1985, I was the Fire Chief in Texhoma Oklahoma, and I was contacted by Jim Minx and Pete Stavros.

Our conversation was on the Fire Department in Boise City, Oklahoma. They were still upset about the change that had occurred when the Oklahoma Firefighter Pension and Retirement System started in 1981.

They had a large amount of money they had invested in the bank in Boise City for pensions. They felt like if it went down state, they would never see money for their firefighters’ retirements.

Jim wanted me to setup a meeting with Fire Chief Parker, his men and retirees. The meeting ,as I remember it, was on Saturday evening in the Town Hall in Boise City.

Jim had devised a play to get there attention which was unknown to me. It was this: he would mispronounce the name of the town, he said Bisey City.

I dropped my head and thought I got them in here and he doesn’t know how to pronounce the name of the town!

He said this about four or five times before Chief Parker’s father said, “Wait a Gosh Dam Minute, let’s get one thing straight. This is Boise City -- pronounced Boy City -- not Bisey City.”

Jim laughed and said, “Now that I have your full attention, the meeting can start.”

We ended up having a great meeting and Boise City was now back in the fold of the OSFA and felt like they were again part of the fire service in Oklahoma.

Over the next 30-plus years, there were so many other stories and times where I knew this man and his heart for the Oklahoma Fire Service.

He wanted to leave the fire service better than he found it, and I believe that he was able to accomplish it. Thanks, my brother.

Memories from Donnie Bennett

OSFA 2nd Vice President

Going above and beyond the call of duty is something that Jim Minx regularly did during his tenure as an active firefighter, so it was probably no surprise that he continued to serve others upon retiring.

After serving the community for 20 years as an Oklahoma City Firefighter, Jim could have easily hung his helmet with pride knowing that he made a difference, but he was persistent in his efforts to give back.

It was always inspiring to see him at convention interacting with the scholarship recipients and their families. It was obvious that his main objective during this portion of convention was to celebrate the achievements of each student and make everyone involved feel welcome.

Jim Minx was always very kind and usually had an encouraging word to share when he saw me, and I always appreciated that.

Minx’s commitment to service and the manner in which he treated others reminds me of a Maya Angelou quote that reads: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Give back and make someone’s day.

Memories from Bert Norton

2011 OSFA President

The memories I have involve both Jim and Pete. I can remember them walking the halls of the State Capitol. They worked relentlessly on firefighter issues there.

Midwest City FD

The work that they did back then made the fire service benefits what they are today.

Oklahoma City FD

OSFA Executive Directors at 2020 Museum Expansion Groundbreaking

Bill Signing Ceremony with Governor George Nigh

OSFA Archive

Here’s a bit of history you may or may not know about your association:

Created in 2002 by Pete Stavros, former OSFA Legislative Director, the Pete & Lela Stavros Scholarship offers children and relatives of active or retired Oklahoma firefighters who are members of the OSFA help with college expenses.

Jim Minx wouid make the Stavros Scholarship presentation almost every year at the OSFA Convention, explaining how it came about. Here’s what he said in 2017:

“This is always an honor and a privilege to make these presentations for our scholarship recipients. And I always have to tell the story of how this started.

“Pete and I both got to see a lot of families, especially in the smaller communities of firefighters, and every time we traveled to and from those places, Pete would say, ‘I want to create a scholarship for children of firefighters.’

“So finally one day, I said go out there in the backyard and dig up some coffee cans, bring me the cash and I will write it up. Well, lo and behold, one day he came in with a check for $5,000.

“Over the years, we were fortunate enough to be able to get some matching funds from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. And one of these days soon, we will be able to give $2,000 to each recipient.

“That has been the goal that we have been planning for quite a while. We need your help in making that happen. They might be your kids or loved ones receiving these scholarships.”

The first five scholarships awarded in 2004 were $500 each. Only 5% of the scholarship fund can be awarded each year to protect the principal.

This year, the five available scholarships will be $2,000 each. Application deadline is April 1.

ABOVE: Jim Minx and Scott VanHorn with Lela Stavros, widow of Pete Stavros, at the 2015 OSFA Convention. Pete was awarded the David Bain Award posthumously. BELOW: Jim Minx with his family after receiving the David Bain Award at the 2019 OSFA Convention.

By Greg Lindsay OKC Fire Department Greg Lindsay: Firefighter Near-Miss Report

Under Control?

One of the fundamental practices of our job is to provide for the safety of our personnel on the incident scene.

When an active fire involves structural components, the household utilities cause a significant concern. We don’t always know where the wires are located within the walls and attic. Securing the electricity as quickly as possible is a priority to prevent electric shock.

Natural gas is generally very straight forward. The meter usually has a quarter-turn valve that positively secures the flow of natural gas. Electricity is not always as familiar. Different types of services and multiple connections to a building can leave us unsure.

It’s not always apparent if the best way to secure electricity is to remove the meter or open the breaker circuit. Even more confusing are commercial applications with multiple phase connections.

The featured report this month highlights a unique perspective in securing utilities. During a residential house fire, the firefighter securing utilities found unfamiliar equipment and was unsuccessful in controlling the flow of electricity. The full report can be found by searching the title on the website or using the link below.

POWER REMAINS ON AFTER ATTEMPT TO SECURE

Published: 3/10/2021

Report Number: 21-10102

http://firefighternearmiss.com/

Reports?id=16047

Event Narrative

What was the initial size-up?

Large Single-story block residential structure with fire and smoke showing on arrival.

Event Description

Units were dispatched to a reported structure fire. The first engine arrived at a large single-story block residential structure with fire and smoke showing. This was upgraded to a working fire. As the first rescue arrived on scene, they were tasked with securing the power to the home and conducting a primary search. The firefighter/ medic began to control the electricity and noticed a large oversized breaker box, very different from what they were familiar with. They attempted to disconnect what they thought to be the breakers. When the electric company arrived on scene, they found the firefighter had not disconnected the power. The electric company advised that the power must be turned off from inside with this particular breaker box. The electrical box was a 600-amp box, not a traditional 200-amp box. After firefighters ex-

tinguished the fire, all units participated in an after-action report to address the breaker box concerns and the potential hazards firefighters may face.

The equipment in question was a 600-amp meter base designed for a bigger house or commercial structure. It is larger than a standard residential application and the meter is usually offset to one side. The cabi net is secured with a clip or lock, and the meter is secured with a clamping device inside the meter base.

To be clear, specialized training in removing a meter from this type of base is critical. To successfully accomplish this task, you must place your hands inside the box to unclamp the meter. The recommended practice is to secure the power at the breaker panel. I have included a few pictures to assist in your discussion regarding electrical utilities.

Photo 1 : This is the meter base discovered on this incident after the power technician has removed the meter.

Photo 2: A larger cabinet with the meter offset to one side.

Photo 3: A standard residential meter base.

Using the information from this report and the images provided, consider the following:

• Have you seen both of these types of meter bases in a residential application?

• Is the location of the meter base usually an indication of where the breaker panel is located?

• Discuss the policies or procedures available from your department that identify how to secure the electricity. What additional information would you like to have in your training?

• Discuss any experiences you have had attempting to secure the electric service by removing the meter. What kind of locking devices are found in your area? Are there any special tools required?

Firefighter Near-Miss, continued

• Are there times when we should delay extinguishment to allow a power company technician to secure the service first?

Lessons Learned

Understanding the changing culture of building construction and the difference between a 200-amp box and a 600-amp box made for larger homes. It is preferred to secure power from the inside.

Describe the most helpful leading practices you noticed at this incident:

Using After Action Reviews at the conclusion of the emergency to train on unfamiliar situations.

Securing utilities during a structure fire can reduce the hazards we face during interior operations. We must remember that our job is hazardous, and we must carefully consider any tasks that are unfamiliar or that we have not been trained to do.

LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS INDICATORS

Ambiguity

Open to more than one interpretation or unclear.

Distraction

Attention is drawn away from the original focus of attention.

Fixation

Focusing attention on one item excluding all others.

Overload

Too busy to stay on top of everything.

Complacency

A false sense of comfort that masks deficiencies and danger.

Improper procedure

Deviating from SOPs without justification.

Unresolved discrepancy

Failure to resolve conflicting conditions.

“Nobody flying the plane” Self-explanatory.

Source: www.iafc.org

It wouldn’t help to receive an electrical shock outdoors just to prevent the possibility of shock for interior personnel.

It’s always a good idea to remember, if something about the task you are trying to accomplish doesn’t look right, you may be suffering from a loss of situational awareness (see table above.)

When this happens, take a step back and reconsider all the information you have before performing a task. If you are still unsure, ask for help.

It’s easy to allow our focus on task accomplishment to cause us to focus on only one thing. Our supervisor may assign something without knowing the unique circumstances involved.

In this report, the firefighter believed they had secured the power only to find it was still active. A quick way to verify this is to turn on a light away from the fire area.

When we are unsure about accomplishing a task, it’s recommended that we qualify our message to the IC with details that identify we are unsure of our success. Working within unusual circumstances can cause unsafe conditions for everyone on the fire scene.

The nearmiss reporting system was designed with the frontline firefighter in mind. The reports are available for you to browse and share. Breaking the chain of events that lead to a nearmiss can prevent it from happening to another firefighter.

Corey Conrady: The Rural Firefighter

Building a Culture of Safety, continued

We learned last time about the National Fallen Firefighters Foundations’ second and third firefighters’ life safety initiatives.

The second Life Safety Initiative is Accountability and the third Life Safety Initiative is Risk Management.

There are several tools to guide the process. One such tool is the Vulnerability Assessment Program (VAP) administered by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. This free assessment is available to all fire departments -- volunteer, career, industrial, fire/EMS, and combination services.

Let’s look at the fourth initiative: Empowerment. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices.

While this may appear to be a challenging or even controversial statement, it simply means that every organization should provide an environment that allows its members to speak up regarding personal and organizational safety; without negative consequences for doing so (within a prescribed context), and without decentralizing the authority of the formal leader.

The resources needed for all fire service organizations to institute Initiative #4, regardless of type or size, are already at our disposal, and the best part is that they are free.

The goal is to have every member fully engaged during an emergency incident with a focus on proficiently doing the work and looking out for one another to avoid injuries and potential line-of-duty death.

The fifth initiative is Training & Certification. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform.

How much training takes place across the country each day? Thousands of hours.

Between 2005 and 2013, an average of 10.5 firefighters a year died in training-related incidents. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) identifies firefighter recruits, firefighters participating in training, and firefighters conducting training as especially vulnerable to death and injury.

The fifth initiative is an attempt to tie training to a reduction in firefighter injuries and line-of-duty fatalities.

Help is available if you need immediate support in Oklahoma. Contacts include:

• Warriors Rest Foundation -Brett Key at 405-252-7489

• First Responders Against Suicide -Facebook page is available to message First Responders in Oklahoma

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -800-273-8255 (or go to website for chat)

• National Helpline -- 800-662-HELP (4357)

• Crisis Text Line -- Text HOME to 741741

• OSFA -- 405-424-1452 (will respond with help within 48 hours)

• Corey Conrady 580-540-0970, call or text me anytime

• Oklahoma Fire Service Chaplains -Facebook page lists four area contacts In an emergency, contact Pastor Gary Lillie (Hawley Fire) 580-541-5980

What can be done about these two initiatives?

As we have discussed, building a culture of safety relies on number 4 as a necessary point -- that anyone regardless of rank should be given the space and freedom to call out an unsafe act and have their safety concerns immediately acknowledged.

During training, I have always heard everyone is a safety officer. If you see something unsafe, yell ‘Stop,’ and all training evolutions are supposed to immediately stop.

We should have that same urgency on scene, as well. I know that at a structure fire, with smoke showing that everything can’t just stop, but again command should have the same urgency to look at safety issues and adjust as needed.

Until next time, remember to look out for one another in the smoke and at the station. Everyone Goes Home!

This article is dedicated to all fire departments -- not just rural -- and the kinds of things we deal with as firefighters who live and serve in the communities we have grown up in.

Drummond FD

Capital Dynamics is a proud supporter of The Oklahoma State Firefighters Association (OSFA) and salutes the work of all the active and retired members

With our 14 offices worldwide and over 160 professionals, Capital Dynamics is a continued supporter of OSFA’s purpose to create, maintain, and perpetuate a fraternal spirit among its members, to suggest helpful legislation, to educate its members, and to enhance the value and dignity of the firefighting profession.

Capital Dynamics is distinguished by its deep and sustained partnerships with clients, a culture that attracts entrepreneurial thought leaders and a commitment to provide innovative ideas and solutions for its clients.

Disclaimer: This document does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities of any kind in Capital Dynamics, including any of its funds or other investment products. Any such offer or solicitation shall be only made pursuant to a private placement memorandum or similar such document furnished by Capital Dynamics. This document shall not, nor the fact of its distribution, form the basis for, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract. Before relying on this information for any purpose, including with respect to making any investment in any Capital Dynamics investment product or fund, Capital Dynamics advises the recipient of this information (the “Recipient”) to perform independent verification of the data and conduct his or her own analysis with appropriate advisors. This document is for informational purposes only, is confidential and may not be reproduced in whole or in part (whether in electronic or hard-copy form).

Tim Dorsch: Fire Chaplain Report

For a lot of people, life is usually pretty routine.

There may be some unexpected twists or turns from day to day depending on our schedules and circumstances.

Something unexpected may happen to a friend or a member of our family and suddenly life changes or comes to an end.

It may be the result of natural causes like heart attack or stroke; traffic accidents, from various causes; weather events like tornadoes, floods, lightning and blizzards; evil actions like murder, assault, robbery and road rage; and many other events which may be reported by various news sources.

It can be very difficult to deal with these events, especially if we know the people and families who are involved.

“You never know what the day will bring” is a certainty for all emergency personnel.

Those who are First Responders (both paid and volunteer) of any kind – Fire, EMS, Rescue, and Law Enforcement –face additional challenges in dealing with the effects of trauma in their emotional and psychological nature.

In carrying out their responsibilities, they may see and hear and smell and touch things that no human should have to or want to do.

If not dealt with in a positive way, negative effects can build up over time.

Talking with a trusted colleague, chaplain, peer support member or friend to share your thoughts, feelings, and emotions is a good way to help our mind process what we have experienced.

Participating in a defusing or debriefing with a chaplain and mental health professional shortly after a Critical Incident is an effective group activity to support all who are involved.

A group of fire chaplains have organized to provide training, support and encouragement to each other and to Fire Departments across Oklahoma.

If you do not have a chaplain or other support personnel at your department, please contact us at okfirechaplains.org or follow us on Facebook at Oklahoma Fire Service Chaplains.

“You never know what the day will bring.”

“You never know what the day will bring.”

Fairmont FD

n MEETING (October 21, 2022)

Scott R. Emerick/Broken Arrow -Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective October 1, 2022: Motion was made by Lay and seconded by Baggett to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective October 1, 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Bennett, Cramer, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Lay, Davidson, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Mark E. White/Broken Arrow – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective October 1, 2022: Motion was made by Davidson and seconded by Lay to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective October 1, 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Bennett, Cramer, Lay, Davidson, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Clifford Crow/Kingfisher – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective October 9, 2022: Motion was made by Cramer seconded by Baggett to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty” effective October 9, 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Bennett, Cramer, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Davidson, Lay, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Matthew Hampton/Muskogee – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective October 8, 2021: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Lay to deny the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty,”and send Hampton to the State Doctor. Ayes: Nimmo, Bennett, Cramer, Lay, Davidson, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Scott Nyman/Tulsa – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective October 1, 2022: Motion was made by Lay and seconded by Davidson to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective October , 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Bennett, Lay, Provence, Davidson, Fullingim, Lopez, Cramer and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Charles W. Hirdman/Tuttle – Application For “Disability Not In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective September 3, 2022: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Baggett to approve Application for “Disability Not in the Line of Duty”, effective September 3, 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Bennett, Lay, Cramer, Provence, Davidson, Fullingim, Lopez, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Marice James/Bethany – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion made by Davidson seconded by Baggett to approve request of James to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Nimmo, Provence, Fullingim,

Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Lay, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Webb Tilton/Oklahoma City – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: No action taken.

Sally Ann McGrew/Tulsa – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Lopez seconded by Cramer to deny the request of McGrew to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Nimmo, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Lay, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Jerald Gibbens/Tulsa – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Lay seconded by Cramer to approve the request of Gibbens to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Nimmo, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Lay, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Chris L. Walls/Yukon – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Lay seconded by Baggett to deny the request of Walls to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Nimmo, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Lay, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

n MEETING (November 18, 2022)

Request For Disability In The Line Of Duty Pension. Sent To State Doctor –Matthew Hampton/Muskogee: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Baggett to approve the Application for Disability in the Line of Duty pension for Matthew Hampton/ Muskogee. Ayes: Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Bryant, Lopez, Cramer, Laws, Davidson and Baggett. Nayes None. Motion carried.

Tanner Bute/Oklahoma City - Application For Or “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective November 1 2022: Motion was made by Davidson and seconded by Baggett to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective November 1, 2022. Ayes: Bennett, Cramer, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Davidson, Bryant, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Jason Dobson/Tulsa – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective November 1, 2022: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Davidson to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective November 1, 2022. Ayes: Bennett, Cramer, Davidson, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Bryant, Laws and

Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried. Todd M. Finley/Woodward – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective November 1, 2022: Motion was made by Baggett seconded by Bennett to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty” effective November 1, 2022. Ayes: Bennett, Cramer, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Davidson, Laws, Bryant and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Robert McAllister/Broken Arrow –Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Cramer seconded by Baggett to deny the request of McAllister to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Bryant, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Webb Tilton/Oklahoma City – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion made by Bennett seconded by Provence to approve request of Tilton to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Bryant, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Michael Burgess/Tulsa – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Cramer seconded by Baggett to approve the request of Ms. Burgess to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Bryant, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Valendon B. Burton/Jimtown – Request

To Declare As In The Line Of Duty Death”: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Bennett to declare in the Line of Death for Valendon B. Burton. Ayes: Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Bryant, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Rudolfo Sanchez Jr. Yukon - Request

To Declare As In The Line Of Duty Death:

Motion made by Provence ad seconded by Bennett to declare an in the Line of Duty Death for Rudolfo Sanchez. Ayes: Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Bryant, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

n MEETING (December 16, 2022)

Johnnie D. Card/Bethany - Application

For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective December 1, 2022: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Lay to approve the Ap-

plication for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective December 1, 2022. Ayes: Bennett, Cramer, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Davidson, Laws, Lay, Kohls, Nimmo, Price and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Steven Thornton/Lawton – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective December 1, 2022: Motion made by Baggett and seconded by Lay to approve Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective December 1, 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Lay, Kohls, Bennett, Cramer, Davidson, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, , Laws, Price and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Antonio Carbajal/Oklahoma City –Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective December 1, 2022: Motion made by Davidson seconded by Cramer to approve Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty” effective December 1, 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Lay, Kohls, Price, Bennett, Cramer, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Davidson, Laws, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Fred M. Nayfa/Oklahoma City – Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective December 1, 2022: Motion made by Cramer seconded by Baggett to approve Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty” effective December 1, 2022. Ayes: Nimmo, Lay, Kohls, Price, Bennett, Cramer, Provence, Fullingim, Lopez, Davidson, Laws, and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Greg Nicholson/Oklahoma City –Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Cramer seconded by Bennett to approve the request of Nicholson to modify his pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Lay, Nimmo, Kohls, Price, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Sally McGrew/Tulsa – Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion made by Lay seconded by Davidson to approve the request of McGrew to modify her pension from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Nimmo, Lay, Price, Kohls, Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Application For Child Continuation

And Approval For Disabled Child Benefits/Stacy Minx, Child Of James Minx: Motion made by Cramer and seconded by Davidson to approve continuation of child benefits for Stacy Minx, child of Jim Minx. Ayes: Nimmo, Lay, Price, Kohls, Bennett, Provence, Fullingim, Cramer, Davidson, Lopez, Laws and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

n CONSENT AGENDA (November 18, 2022)

CHECKS TERMINATED IN OCTOBER 2022 (Deceased):

Fairland Sandra Boyd

Hastings Denny G. Brown

Lawton Barbara Baughman

Okemah Vance Vanhooser

OKC Gary L. Ashcraft

Picher Patricia A. Frisbie

Sulphur Clifford Johnson

Tulsa Lennie Sohl

Tulsa Paula J. Williams

$5,000.00 DEATH BENEFIT:

Arapaho Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home On Behalf Of Kevin E. Evans

Bethany Martin J. Benton, Grandchild Of Carl W. Lightner

Ft. Gibson Clifford Garrett, Family Funeral On Behalf Of Dan Brown

Holdenville Fisher Funeral Home On Behalf Of Bobby J. Brittain

OKC Janis Dill, Widow Of David J. Dill

OKC Mary A. Peterson-Lambeth, Widow Of Leslie Lambeth Sr.

S. Coffeyville David F. Barnes, Funeral Home On Behalf Of George F. Baker

Sulphur Hales’ Funeral Home On Behalf Of Clifford Johnson

Tamaha Mallory-Martin Funeral Home On Behalf Of Casey C. Borders

Tulsa Mowery Funeral Service On Behalf Of Eugen E. Sellmeyer

APPLICATION FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE PENSION SYSTEM:

Bristow Jon Shaull

Broken Arrow Michael Anderson

Broken Arrow Dalton Berryhill

Broken Arrow Christopher Biddle

Broken Arrow Gunnar Frantz

Broken Arrow Jeremy Fuller

Broken Arrow Braeden Garrison

Broken Arrow Hunter Goodnight

Broken Arrow Tony Rich

Broken Arrow Casey Saied

Broken Arrow Taylor Schuyler

Broken Bow Clay Sanders

Chandler Joshua Anderson

Chandler Chance Stokes

Chickasha Jace Smith

Chickasha Brent Steelman

Duncan Logan Taliaferro

Limestone Jason Jones

McAlester Cody Randazzo

McAlester Jaxton West

Midwest City Joseph Bennett

Okmulgee Brady Mcfarren

Tuttle Dakota Head

APPLICATION OF CHILD FOR PENSION:

05/30/2022 Taft

Lillie P. Bowler, Guardian Of A’narria James, Child Of Sherika D. Bowler (Deceased 5/29/ 2022)

APPLICATION FOR SERVICE PENSION:

11/01/2022 Barnsdall Micah D. Lanphear 11/01/2022 Barnsdall Philip Schmidt

Store Steven L. Ford

Reno Gregory L. Graves

City Lonnie L. Estes 11/01/2022

Jason W. Peters 11/01/2022

Raymond Williams

11/01/2022 Greenfield David R. Seyler

11/01/2022 Krebs David C. Nelms

Madill Douglas J. Schneider

John W. Harris

APPLICATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE FOR

APPLICATION FOR DISABILITY IN THE LINE OF DUTY (Modify To Service Pension):

APPLICATION

n CONSENT AGENDA (December 16, 2022)

CHECKS TERMINATED IN NOVEMBER 2022 (Deceased):

Broken Bow Willie Gilbreath

Choctaw Betty McConnell

Corn Mary A. Couch

Custer City Jessena Bowman

Eldorado Patricia Freeman

Enid Bernard L. Flaming

Idabel Russell B. Williston

Langley Edgar S. Prine

Locust Betty J. Hooker

Madill Betty L. Fowler

Mangum Wayne Smith

Muskogee Roy Derebery

Norman Betty Standifer

OKC Virginia L. Brenneis

OKC Virginia Y. Gilmore

OKC Juavon Kinzy

Sapulpa Valeta Boyd

Tulsa Kay Dotson

Tulsa Terry E. McGee

Union City Barbara Ventris

Vian Melba Baker

$5,000.00 DEATH BENEFIT:

Allen Criswell Funeral Home On Behalf Of Charles S. Cannon

Anadarko Kevin Edwards, Child Of Ronald D. Edwards

Anadarko David Edwards, Child Of Ronald D. Edwards

Bartlesville Alice A. Stokes, Widow Of John J. Stokes

Blackwell Judy Rae Decamp, Widow Of Donald R. Decamp

Byng Criswell Funeral Home On Behalf Of Wlliam D. Randolph

Cyril Lea Duree Fourkiller Personal Rep For Estate Of Lee E. Gibson

Dickson Nona Robinson, Widow Of Floyd A. Robinson

Dibble Linnie Dennis, Widow Of Roy E. Dennis

Edmond Matthews Funeral Home On Behalf Of Dwight L. Maker

Hastings Dudley Funeral Home On Behalf Of Dennie G. Brown

Idabel Clardy Funeral Services On Behalf Of Russell B. Williston

Jimtown Sarah Burton, Widow Of Valendon B. Burton

Lawton Becker Funeral Home On Behalf Of Larry R. Odom

Mangum Cindy Clayton, Child Of Wayne Smith

Okemah Parks Brothers Funeral Home On Behalf Of Vance Vanhooser

OKC John Ireland Funeral Home On Behalf Of Gary Ashcraft

OKC Yanda & Son Funeral Home On Behalf Of Russell Burkhalter

Sand Springs Mobley-Groesbeck Funeral On Behalf Of Edwards L. Davis

Seiling Marietta Collins, Widow Of Harold D. Collins

Taft Whitney L. Bowler, Co-Death Recipient Of Sherika D. Bowler

Taft A’narria D. James, Minor Child Of Sherika D. Bowler

Tulsa Adamscrest Funeral Home On Behalf Of Herbert E. Allison, Sr.

Tulsa Domanic McGee, Child Of Terry E. McGee

APPLICATION OF CHILD FOR PENSION:

12/01/2022 OKC Lisa G. Bays, Trustee Of Stacey L. Moreno, Child Of James R. Minx (Deceased 11/18/2022)

APPLICATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE:

09/14/2022

Tipton Nancy Hadlock, Widow Of David L. Hadlock (Deceased 9/15/2022)

11/12/2022 Tulsa Heidi M. Rutledge, Widow Of Joshua L. Rutledge (Deceased 11/11/2022)

APPLICATION FOR VESTED BENEFIT:

01/17/2023

03/17/2027

Pink Doyle R. Stansell

Walker Arlin D. Cantrell

APPLICATION FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE PENSION SYSTEM:

Alva Blake Brown

Alva Warren Corr

Alva Adam Grimsley

Bixby Cole Sharp

Bixby Sean Shull

Broken Arrow Kyle Morgan

Broken Arrow Spencer Roberts

Broken Bow Luke Magar

Catoosa Triston Willis

Chickasha Ryan Swanson

Cleveland T. J. Flager

Coweta Zachary Shaleen

Cushing Douglas Moore

Cushing Conner Sisson

Duncan Jaxon H. Miller

Durant Cody J. Little

Enid Angel Chavez

Enid Nikita Higbee

Grove John H. Heath

Harrah Kaden Aduddell

Hugo Marlon R. Skeen

Kingfisher Carson Todd

Ponca City Joshua Evans

Pryor Christian Fletcher

Pryor Wyatt Murphy

Pryor Caleb Peper

Purcell Jordan R. Stow

Purcell Cody B. Womack

McAlester Hayden Knight

Tuttle Chase Smith

APPLICATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE FOR CONTINUATION:

Oleta A. Warden, Widow Of Jack W.

APPLICATION FOR SERVICE PENSION:

n CONSENT AGENDA (January 20, 2023)

CHECKS TERMINATED IN DECEMBER 2022 (Deceased):

Agra Willa J. McEntire

Bixby Helen L. Cox

Blanchard Kay D. Graham

Boise City Josephine M. Mayhan

Eldorado Thelma L. Gunkel

Muldrow Bobby E. Vessell

OKC Mary E. Preston

OKC Joseph D. Rohr

Sapulpa Edward E. Duty

Shattuck James W. Bruce

Tulsa Stanley E. Day

$5,000.00 DEATH BENEFIT:

Bluejacket Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral On Behalf Of Jack W. Warden

Chickasha Ferguson Funeral Home On Behalf Of Carey O. Wilkerson

Elk City Kathryn R. Pierce, Widow Of Carrol J. Pierce

Enid Ladusau-Evans Funeral On Behalf Of Bernard L. Flaming

Eufaula Hunn Black & Merritt Funeral On Behalf Of Melvin L. Clover

Frederick Holmes Coffey Murray Funeral On Behalf Of Buddy A. Mealor

Healdton Laurel Funeral Home On Behalf Of David R. Lomenick

Langley Burckhalter Highsmith Funeral On Behalf Of Edgar S. Prine

Marietta Cornerstone Funeral Home On Behalf Of Robert (Bobby) Sharp

Muskogee Cornerstone Funeral Home On Behalf Of James D. Hull

OKC Barbara Boggs, Widow Of Hobart (Lee) Boggs

OKC Resthaven Funeral Home On Behalf Of Kenneth D. Evetts

OKC Vondel L. Smith & Son Funeral On Behalf Of James R. Minx

OKC Miguel Razo, Spouse Of Rex L. O’Brien

OKC Tiya Lacroix, Grand-Child Of Joseph D. Rohr

OKC Robert Shane Rohr, Child Of Joseph D. Rohr

OKC Yanda & Son Funeral Home On Behalf Of Darlene R. White

Paoli Stufflebean-Coffey Funeral On Behalf Of Donald E. Peters

Salina Jeanan Hobbs, Widow Of Ronald L. Hobbs

Snyder Becker Funeral Home One Behalf Of Jackie G. Harmon

Tipton Nancy Hadlock, Widow Of David Hadlock

Tulsa Dillon Funeral Home On Behalf Of Joshua L. Rutledge

Westville Dorothy M. Hester, Widow Of Bentz C. Hester

Zena Linda F. Wilson, Widow Of Dale C. Wilson

APPLICATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE:

12/07/2022

Taft Darren J. McGee, Widower Of Willie K. McGee (Deceased 12/06/2022)

APPLICATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE FOR CONTINUATION:

01/01/2023 Davis Barbara Thomas, Widow Of George E. Thomas

01/01/2023

Gage Nancy L. Morley, Widow Of Richard P. Morley

01/01/2023 Noble Patricia Donihoo, Widow Of David P. Donihoo

01/01/2023 Norman Angelene Caskey, Widow Of Harold W. Caskey

01/01/2023 OKC Barbara Boggs, Widow Of Hobert (Lee) Boggs

01/01/2023 OKC Mary Colwell, Widow Of Bob L. Colwell

01/01/2023 Spiro Mavis Tobler, Widow Of Enie Tobler Jr.

01/01/2023 Westville Carolyn Hembree, Widow Of Alfred E. Hembree

01/01/2023 Wilson Pearlene Barnes, Widow Of Jimmie Barnes

APPLICATION FOR DISABILITY IN THE LINE OF DUTY (Modify To Service Pension):

01/01/2023

Bartlesville Michael Burch

01/01/2023 Glenpool Chad R. Tanner

01/01/2023 OKC Michael Pennington 01/01/2023 Tulsa Brian Goins

Wagnon

APPLICATION FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE PENSION SYSTEM:

Bartlesville Justin Butterfield

Bartlesville Michael Crabtree

Bartlesville Jacob Spicer

Coalgate Gavin Blue

Coalgate Joshua Johnston

Coalgate McKenney Lincoln

Coalgate Bryce Steele

Coweta Casey Brown

Coweta Jermiah Hall

Coweta Michael Mchenry

Deer Creek Jayden Laurick

Drumright Warren Shideler

Edmond Braden Atkinson

Edmond Nathaneal Crownover

Edmond Kale Daniels

Edmond Logan Kelley

Edmond Adam Kramer

Edmond Blake Mangold

Edmond David Palacios

Edmond Max Posada

Edmond Kodi Shepley

Edmond Corbin Snyder

Edmond Jared Sutter

Edmond Patrick Zinn

Enid Shaun Buckles

Guthrie Kody Moreland

Kingfisher Caleb Pendelton

Muskogee Bryce Newton

Owasso Ethan Grogan

Owasso Cory Holsapple

Owasso William Watkins

Ponca City Cody Berryman-Stehling

Sand Springs Samuel E. Mosier

Sapulpa Tiger Mcelhaney

Sapulpa Maverik Parker

Skiatook Courtney Parrett

Weatherford Layton Katchum

Weatherford Tyrell Verhoeff

Wewoka Shade St. Clair

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FREDERICK FIRE DEPARTMENT

Fire Chief: James Heap

Department Formed: 1907

Year Joined OSFA: 1909

ISO Rating: 4

Population of Frederick: 3500 (approx)

Two early day Frederick Fire Department rigs are still in existence.

One (pictured at right) is a 1920 American LaFrance pumper that has been on display in the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum since 1970.

The other (pictured at left) is a 1927 Seagrave pumper that has been restored and is housed in the Frederick FD. Both are still in operating condition.

Square Miles Covered (Fire): 136

Square Miles Covered (EMS): 570

Personnel: 10 paid/10 volunteers

Calls Per Year: 864 (Fire & EMS)

Number of Stations: 1

Number of Engines: 3

Number of Brushpumpers: 2

Number of Tankers: 1

Number of Rescues: 1

Number of Command Units: 1

Number of Antique Rigs: 2

Tanker 10 2008 Freightliner/Military 18 HP/200 pump/3500 tank

R-8 2000 Ford/Blanchat Diesel/Auto/4x4

Engines 1 & 2 1250 pumps/1000 tanks

James Heap: OFCA President’s Report

Greetings Oklahoma Fire Service!

I would like to start by inviting you to the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association’s 101st Conference being held at the Ft. Sill Apache Hotel & Casino in Lawton on April 12-14, 2023.

It is hosted by the Frederick Fire Department and the Lawton Fire Department.

We will start off with a 4-man golf scramble with an 8:30 shotgun start at the Lawton Country Club on Wednesday, April 12, followed by golf awards, registration from 6-8 p.m., and hospitality ending at 10 p.m.

On Thursday April 13, we will have a short Memorial Service to honor those who have passed in the last year.

This will be followed by a keynote speaker who will be giving a presentation I think you will find helpful in your efforts to lead as a chief officer.

More information on the keynote is available in 1st VP Chief Kelley’s article.

Thursday night, we will have our banquet and a couple of hours of fun entertainment. I think everyone will enjoy the entertainment and hopefully will interact and participate in the program.

On Friday, we will have a few reports and then get down to business.

OFCA 2nd VP Chief Carruth and the Legislative Committee have worked hard going through our Constitution and By-Laws.

They were looking for changes that

need to be made to adapt the documents to more modern times and to make a few additions which will improve the transparency and communication of the association.

Some of the additions will lay the groundwork that can begin a process of developing a standard for Oklahoma Fire Chiefs.

All the work by the committee will be presented to the delegates at the annual conference as resolutions for them to vote on.

In addition to voting on the resolutions, we will be electing a new board for the coming year.

As I am writing this article, I realize this is my last one as President of OFCA. I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

I am thankful for the relationships I have made with those I have served with and others I have met through my service on the board.

I am humbled to have been elected to serve on the board. It has truly been a learning experience that I will forever be grateful for.

I hope you will be able to attend the conference, and I look forward to seeing you in Lawton. Until then, stay safe!

OFCA

James Heap jrheap@pldi.net

1ST VICE PRESIDENT Richard Kelley richard.kelley@okc.gov

OFCA DIRECTOR Kent Lagaly klagaly901@gmail.com

2ND

Craig Carruth ccarruth@cityofmustang.org

PAST PRESIDENT Greg Herbster gregherbster@cityofmoore.com

BP-3 2016 Ford/Blanchat 23HP/200 pump/600 tank

E-7 1980 Ford/Boardman 750 pump/500 tank

Frederick FD

PRESIDENT

3RD VICE PRESIDENT Michael Baker mbaker@cityoftulsa.org

VICE PRESIDENT

2022-23 OFCA Executive Board

Kent Lagaly: OFCA Executive Director’s Report

It has been a very busy few months for the Executive Board and Staff getting everything together for the Winter Workshop and continuing the planning for the Annual Conference in April.

Most people do not realize how much work goes into planning for one of these events, and I want to give a huge “thank you” to the staff at the office, especially Raegan Layne, for all of their hard work and making sure that everything goes smoothly.

If you had the opportunity to attend the Winter Workshop last month in Stillwater, I think you probably saw how hard Raegan worked to make this event go as well as it did.

Chief Carruth did and outstanding job of putting together an excellent line-up of speakers, and I am sure he appreciates all of the positive feedback.

I don’t have the final numbers yet, but I know that we had record attendance this year.

We are now finalizing everything for the OFCA Conference in April and look forward to seeing everyone there. Chief Heap and his committee are working hard to make sure that the conference is as informative as it is enjoyable.

A number of our Associate Members have committed to sponsorships that will allow us to make this a great conference. I encourage all of you while you are there to thank all of these sponsors while spending time in the vendors show.

All the details are included in this issue, so be sure and get registered ASAP.

Due to the location of the conference, The Apache Hotel and Events Center, we have to have our final numbers of attendees earlier than usual so that we have adequate space available, as well as planning for the lunch and banquet.

Please don’t delay in registering you and the other members of your department. Also, don’t forget to let us know if your wife is planning to attend and enjoy the time with the Ladies Auxiliary.

As an organization, we seldom have very many resolutions for consideration at the business meeting on Friday of the Conference.

This year will be somewhat different, as the Resolutions Committee has been working for the past year to update the Constitution and By-Laws of the organization.

It has been many years since this has been done, and with the changes in society as well as the advancements in technology, the amendments they will bring before the membership are needed to make sure we continue to serve the membership, not only in today’s world, but in future years to come.

One of my responsibilities as Executive Director is to publish these resolutions prior to the conference. At this time, the committee is working on the final versions and will submit them in the coming weeks.

Once I receive them, I will work with the staff to make them available for all of you to review on the website. Watch your email and social media for information when these are up on the website.

Until next time, be safe and hopefully I will see you in Lawton!

OKC FD

Richard Kelley: OFCA 1st Vice President’s Report

Greetings Brothers and Sisters!

I hope everyone had an incredible holiday season and happy new year.

As we move into a new year, it is important to establish goals to make improvements as leaders within our organizations.

To grow and improve in your leadership, continue to strive toward completion of your new year’s resolution for improvement, which means don’t quit when it’s tough, but press forward to bring your goal to fruition.

If you did not make it to this year’s Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association Winter Workshop, you missed a great event.

Fire Chief and 2nd OFCA Vice-President Craig Carruth, Mustang Fire, put together a phenomenal event.

The line-up included great local talent from our state, as well as national speakers that brought forward great nuggets to take back to our communities.

Plan to attend next year as Fire Chief Michael Baker, TFD, will have his hands full trying to out-due Chief Carruth’s program.

If you haven’t already made plans to join everyone at the OFCA Conference in Lawton, it is time to begin your preparation. This year’s conference will take place April 12-14 in Lawton at the Apache Casino Hotel.

President James Heap, Fredrick Fire, has put together a great event to provide opportunities for everyone to learn, grow and network.

The keynote speaker for this year’s OFCA Conference is Major General Darrell J. Guthrie (Retired). General Guthrie started his military career May 1985 when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the United States Army.

This will be a can’t-miss presentation on leadership insights and important aspects pertaining to organizational design. Anytime you have an opportunity to learn from an Army Two Star General, you should take advantage as the message will enrich your leadership perspective.

This year’s OFCA Conference will also include several opportunities to catch up on the events taking place within our proud and noble profession. You will hear from the OSFA, OFCA, ORFA, IAFC SW District, OML and legislative issues that will affect the fire service.

As an active leader within your organization, I hope you are finding opportunities to invest in your personal health and wellness. It is imperative that we, as leaders, not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.

Proper physical and behavioral fitness reduces stress and establishes expectations within your organization as a leader. The primary response I hear from firefighters when it comes to leadership is “lead by example.” Follow this advice and show your people how to build resiliency, reduce stress and live longer.

Until next time, strive for excellence, because Leaders are not born, they are made.

Ret. El Reno FD

Greetings!

Major General Darrell J. Guthrie

Mustang FD

Craig Carruth: OFCA 2nd Vice President’s Report

Greetings everyone!

The 2023 OFCA Winter Workshop has wrapped up and I hope this finds everyone doing well!

I would like to give a few shout outs before I get started.

First, I would like to thank our OFCA Administrative Assistant Raegan Layne, OFCA Executive Director Kent Lagaly, and the OSFA staff for all of their hard work and support.

Second, I would like to thank all of the sponsors for making the workshop possible and memorable.

Third, I would like to thank all of our guest speakers for doing an outstanding job and providing quality education.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all of the members who were able to attend this year’s Winter Workshop.

It was very nice and encouraging to see so many people in attendance! The theme for this year was “Educate, Encourage, Empower- Leave Them Better.”

My goal as your Second Vice President -- and the Board Member responsible for this event -- was to bring in educators to help each of us in our journey as leaders.

I hope there were topics that challenged your thoughts and inspired you to action.

I can say I was challenged in many areas, which has caused me to pause and take a deep look at myself and the organization I have been given the privilege to lead.

It is gratifying to know that for us to be quality leaders, the learning process never ends.

One thing that is true: issues and struggles are not isolated to any one form of a department, but rather they are relatable to us all.

I was particularly encouraged (despite my personality type) knowing that no matter how hard I try, everything is not always going to be perfect, and I am not always going to get it right and that’s “OK.”

We need to understand that we are all

a work in progress, and by taking every opportunity to get better, we are “moving the needle in a positive direction.”

Attending educational workshops like this, to learn from fire service educators and leaders is a wonderful thing.

Taking advantage of the additional opportunity outside of the classroom to attend the networking sessions are vital.

Anyone who has attended these workshops will testify that it is during this time that one forms the relationships that will pay dividends as they continue their journey to fulfill their responsibilities as a Fire Chief.

I hope everyone who attended the Winter Workshop felt pleased they took time out of their schedules. It has been my pleasure to serve this organization.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the 101st OFCA Conference in Lawton, where I know President Heap has worked hard to put together an amazing event. Stay Safe.

Michael Baker: OFCA 3rd Vice President’s Report

First, let me thank Chief Craig Carruth on another successful OFCA Winter Workshop!

The event was packed with OFCA members from across the state. Additionally, Chief Carruth was able to gather an impressive group of speakers who provided some interesting content.

We plan on being back on the OSU campus next year with another great event.

This month, I would like to highlight an important OFCA partnership that supports events such as the Winter Workshop and the OFCA Convention.

For the OFCA, these are the Associate Members. As outlined in the OFCA Constitution and Bylaws, Section 5, Associate Members are, “Individuals and/or businesses engaged in the manufacture or sale of public safety apparatus, supplies, or ser-

vices and/or business otherwise interested in in the field of fire or emergency services.”

There was a great turn out of Associate Members at the Winter Workshop, including Conrad Fire Equipment, Fire Protection Publications, IROL, FirstNet, Lexipol, Okie Safety Consulting, Public Consulting Group, NAFECO, IFSTA, VFIS, Daco and Kirkpatrick Architecture Studios.

These members either had representatives on site or simply provided event sponsorship. It is these dues paying, non-voting OFCA partners that really provide the ability of the events to be held at an affordable cost.

I took a moment to speak to several of the Associate Members during the Winter Workshop, and I was pleased to hear their perspectives on the benefit of being an OFCA partner. For several, it is not about the “sales” of products or services. In fact, many of our members already make purchases of equipment or services from the Associate Member businesses.

Most, if not all, of those in attendance related that they attend the events to improve their communication with the existing customers. Keeping these lines of communication open as new services and products hit the market is essential to our operations.

So, it is not just a sales pitch, but your opportunity to keep in touch with your vendors.

We look forward to continuing, and growing, the Member and Associate Member relationship to ensure that the OFCA is meeting its mission and ongoing commitment to your department’s leadership.

Next time you see your Associate Member vendor, thank them for their sponsorship and being engaged with the OFCA.

Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Baker and OKC Fire Chief Richard Kelley.

This is the first photo in the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum collection of Tulsa and OKC Fire Chiefs together.

Greg Herbster: OFCA Past President’s Report

Greetings Oklahoma Fire Service!

It was great seeing everyone in Stillwater for the Winter Workshop. Chief Carruth worked diligently to put a great conference together. It was definitely one of the best ones yet.

The purpose of the OFCA is to provide education, leadership training and networking for our state. Our board puts a lot of effort into bringing in quality speakers, programs and classes for our members.

I do feel that the networking is the most important part. I could not be where I am at today if it wasn’t for the relationships and friendships I have forged through this organization. Having someone to call when you need some help or advice is priceless.

The OFCA has been such an important part of my career and I can’t believe my term on the OFCA Board is about to be over.

The last five years have gone by fast.

The OFCA is in great hands. There are some of the best chief officers in the country here serving you.

Remember, your board members are here to serve you in any way that they can, so please reach out to them.

I want to give a special thanks to our Executive Director Chief Lagaly. He gives so selflessly to our board and the Oklahoma Fire Service. He has been a special mentor to me and so many others.

I cannot express how much I appreciate your trust in me to allow me to serve you in this capacity.

I still do not feel worthy to serve on this prestigious board and follow so many great chiefs that have done so much for the Oklahoma Fire Service.

Stay safe and stay involved!

2023 OFCA Winter Workshop