DENNMARK

I am a FIREFIGHTER, a VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER since 1977. I was so interested in the firefighting that after 2 years and 9 months as a volunteer, and after passing Civil Service exam, I was hired as a FireFighter/Operator in a small southeast Louisiana municipal fire department. With 27 years as a PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER, I never forgot where I started and still belong. VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY! In 1981 I attended and passed a POST (Police Officer Standards Training) Certified Police Academy and passed fourth in my class, I am still a VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. When the police department, which I was a reserve member of, told me I would have to decide if I wanted to be a cop or fireman, I moved to a different Law Enforcement Agency and I was still a VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. As a Professional FireFighter I maintained the station and equipment between rolls and drove and operated the first out pumper in my community while on duty. as a VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, I worked my way up the rank ladder from firefighter to Lieutenant, to District Captain, to District Chief, to Assistant Fire Chief, together with Assistant Rescue Chief, Rescue Chief, Director of Investigations, Communications Chief. I felt that as an employee of the municipality, that the rank of Fire Chief should always be a Volunteer to keep city hall from trying to run the Fire Company's financial business. As a professional, I have passed a promotional exam and have become Assistant Fire Chief, as classified by the State Of Louisiana Municipal Civil Service System. Achieving this professional rank, I resigned my rank of Assistant Fire Chief, but not my membership, with the Volunteer Fire Company. I also am an appointed Assistant Fire Chief rank in the Volunteer Fire Company. The Volunteers treat me as they would any Assistant Fire Chief elected to that position by the membership.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1977(6/9)- VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1980(4/19)- PAID FIREFIGHTER/OPERATOR- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2001(9/11)- PAID ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1981(2/14)- POST CERTIFIED RESERVE OFFICER- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -