There has been a lot of talk about our fire departments of in the past couple of years. And for good reason. This old country had been bone dry. Our county firefighters had a rough time , but a much appreciated period of rain slowed those fires down for a bit. Still, its a phase we go through, and we all know that there will likely be a time when those folks are out there fighting back to back fires when their communities suffer.
Fire departments across our county and Western Oklahoma have been under tremendous strain, both the men and woman who volunteer and the equipment they use. Folks throughout the county have held fundraisers and offered donations, stepping up as they seem to always do. I wouldn’t say we forget their sacrifices, because I don’t think we do. We know. We appreciate. But when the threats slow down the thoughts aren’t necessarily right on top. We really do have a great group of community service members in our county. You just can’t help but have some appreciation for what they do. These volunteers don’t just have to deal with the occasional fire. They assist in accident and storms, seeing their neighbors through difficult situations, all the while facing the same stresses of life, and often dealing with horrific circumstances.
This focus on the fire departments caused me to think back a bit, as I often do, reaching back in time through memories and recollections. Things have certainly changed over the years. When we moved to this little town it only had two fire trucks. They were parked down yonder in those two bays right off the old City Hall. If I remember right, one was an old Dodge Power Wagon, probably similar to the one pictured. Of course, the years and historians may prove me wrong, and that’s certainly okay by me. I know memories get tainted over time.
Continue reading “Some Things Change, Some Things Don’t”