Firefighters with the Green River Fire Department help keep the annual Homecoming Bonfire in check at Green River High School in 2018.
(Publisher's note: the following column was written for our annual 'Things We Love' section.)
The Green River Fire Department is a service that has done a lot in the community.
While the same can be said of any fire department anywhere, the firefighters in Green River have shown they're committed to the community and Green River is better from it. More importantly, they're deserving of our trust.
The last year hasn't been kind to the department. It's unfortunate the department was rocked by an embezzlement scandal involving the former fire chief using funds placed in a foundation account to support the fire department's activities for his personal benefit. While the department's members dealt with the fallout from those actions, a global pandemic started and while it would have been just as easy to quietly deal with the incident during the firefighters' downtime, they decided to help people celebrate their birthdays.
The pandemic resulted in many people not being able to partake in a number of social activities, including birthday parties. The department's members decided to drive by homes with people who otherwise would be in for a lackluster celebration and greet them with flashing lights, sirens and in a few cases, Sparky the Fire Dog.
"We want the kid to remember for the next 10, 15, 20 years," Tom Murphy, a spokesperson for the fire department said in May. "We try to make it so kids really enjoy the visit."
The department involved the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office, Castle Rock Ambulance Service and the Green River Police Department in the visits, resulting in a small parade for people in a pandemic lock down.
Outside of those visits, the GRFD had a busy year overall. Aside from fires and vehicle crashes the department often responds to, they dealt with 43 calls in a 24-hour period during the Labor Day winter storm that blew through Green River. They responded to a fire at Genesis-Alkali as the department's service area extends far beyond Green River's city limits.
On Tuesday, the department made a swift water rescue of a dog that had fallen into the River from Electrocutioner Falls. The dog, barely holding on when firefighters rescued her, was later checked out and warmed up by a local veterinarian, was later released to her owner.
The GRFD may have had a rough 2020, but the dedication shown to Green River and the greater Sweetwater County area is the reason we love the department.
Reader Comments(0)