Time to pass the torch
Greetings MN firefighters, families and friends! The calendar says it’s January, a brand new year. Many resolve to make changes in their lives, beginning positive habits and working to shed harmful or negative ones. Gyms and weight loss programs tend to ramp up their advertising efforts in December. As a nation, we should exercise more, eat healthier and cut down or eliminate alcohol and tobacco use.
Other changes may involve improving one’s education, deepening one’s spiritual life, learning a new skill or a myriad of other ways to become a better version of one’s self. Retirement is another change. Ending one’s involvement in an organization or leaving a job or career that one has done and enjoyed for many years can be huge.
My term as MSFDA president ends in September at our next annual conference. I’ll be retiring from the board at that time and walk away from something I love and has been a part of my life for 25 years- the fire service. I know I’ll be sad but I also know it’s time to pass the torch. I do feel a sense of excitement or anticipation in this change of mine. As I’ll start my seventh decade of life in a couple months, I have more stuff I’d like to do with the time left that God hopefully grants me. There are other organizations or groups I’d like to join or get involved with. I also have four grandkids.
Enough about me. Fire Service Day at the Capitol is scheduled for Monday, 26 February. Please sign up and take the time to visit your legislators in St Paul. Get to know them on a first name basis. You may be asked to play a game or cribbage or two. They are just ordinary people who were elected to work for us. It makes an impact when firefighters are sitting in front of them, hearing from us what will help us and keep us safer. Thank them for their support of Hometown Heroes. This act helps EVERY Minnesota firefighter, volunteer, paid on call and career- there is nothing else like it in the US!
Attend your regional meetings. Where else in one place and time, can you hear from or talk to our fire marshal, the MBFTE, MSFDA, MSFCA, the Cert Board, HSEM, VFBA or the other fire service alphabet organizations? And it’s a good way to get to know your neighbors or other regional firefighters. Check our website - www.msfda.org under the ‘Regional Info’ tab for your next regional meeting.
Until next time, work on making any needed or wanted changes in your life and become a better version of yourself. Get out and enjoy our winter wonderland and stay safe.
Dave Yurczyk,
MSFDA President