Powerful presentation
Now that October is behind us, the ghosts and goblins have retreated to their hiding places for another year, we can start thinking about Thanksgiving. That time when it seems that the holiday is mostly about turkey, dressing, pie, lots of food and football. However, I hope we all take a few minutes to stop and be thankful for what we have here in America. As I write this month’s article the war between Israel and Hamas has just begun. By the time you read this who knows what will have happened. We all can be thankful we are not going through what those people are.
The SD Firefighters Assn. Fall Conference was at the end of September. It was a pretty full weekend of activities. Jeff Dill with the Firefighters Behavior Health Alliance gave a very powerful presentation on Internal Size Up and Saying Goodbye to the Fire Service. Internal Size Up Jeff deals with the tough subject of suicide in the fire service. In the past 20 years there have been over 1,600 firefighter suicides he has documented. We never seem to know when someone feels that is the only way out for them. Saying Goodbye to the fire service was when you finally decide to say enough is enough and want to spend more time with the family, grandkids, whatever. The separation can be very difficult for some, even to the point of taking their own life. I don’t want to be a dark shadow here, but the wall about mental health is slowly starting to come down. There are times when we all need to “vent” to someone. That is what the Provident and Municipal League programs are really about. Pick up the phone and make that call and vent. A couple of weeks ago I got a call from a South Dakota firefighter who wondered if I had the number for him to call. Said he had some things going on in his life and needed to talk to someone. I didn’t catch his name or department. Doesn’t matter, he was reaching out looking for someone to talk to. That’s what it is all about.
We also held our annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service on Sunday. It was too windy to have it outside, but the Capitol Rotunda is a very fitting place. We added two names this year, Archie Murphy who died in a forest fire in 1936 and Fred Fedeler from Chester. Next year we add Josh Kogel from Cavour. It has been a tough couple of months, thankfully we have a way to reach out and let someone who is trained to know how we feel.
Now I’m going to put on my Treasurer’s hat. Hopefully this month, your department will be getting the billing information for 2024 Membership dues. Over the past year and more we have been converting to a new membership software program called Growth Zone. Our plan is to send the membership dues notice via Growth Zone’s email contact list AND via our US Post Office mailing. So, some of you may get two invoices one via email and the other via mail. Please take a look and let me know if they don’t agree, imagine that if they don’t, and we’ll get it figured out. The remit to address is still the same, and if you want you can pay your dues online and avoid writing a check.
Last item this month. If you have ever read my monthly ramblings, you know the Board has been looking for a secretary and treasurer. Samara Erickson has said she was willing to become the secretary. Thank you, thank you Samara. If her name sounds familiar, Samara was on the Board as the Central District Director for several years. She knows how the Board and fire service works, so that will be great help. She and I will be transitioning over the next months. Welcome aboard Samara.
With all this, I’ll close for this month. Remember, stay safe and check on your brother and sister firefighters.
Denny Gorton, SDFA Treasurer