A Letter to the Editor – From Chief Seth Johnson.
To the Editor:
The amount of community support the Firefighters of West Benton Fire Rescue receives from our community never ceases to amaze me.
I was recently reminded by one of our past volunteers that, when the Fire Department was downtown and firefighters dressed on the sidewalk, it was not uncommon for them to come back to snacks and drinks sitting in their gear bags.
Fast forward to the Summer of 2015, I experienced the most humbling experience of my career. After being up for 48+ hours fighting both the Range 12 and South Ward Gap fires, I came into the fire station and saw our meeting room was filled nearly to the ceiling with water, snacks and food. Local community groups organized an army of volunteers and made lunches for famished firefighters. Those lunches were filled with what firefighters need most, carbs and pride of a community that supports you.
Throughout this fire season, the outpouring of community support has continued to humble our firefighters at nearly ever turn. Donations, handmade cards and people stopping by just to say “Thank you” have kept our firefighters focused on the mission of providing quality fire and life safety services to the community.
Your support and trust is not something that we take lightly. Thank you for supporting your friends, neighbors and community members that make up West Benton Fire Rescue!
Sincerely,
Seth Johnson
Fire Chief
