Passing The Torch

By Gordon HopkinsThe Fairbury Rural Fire Department (FRFD) held its annual banquet Friday evening, March 1, 2024, at VFW Post #3113. Ken Krause, who recently retired as fire chief, was among those honored. Although no longer chief, Krause will remain with the fire department. Krause has been the department's chief for 13 years. He was promoted from assistant fire chief in February of 2011. That was the same year Judd Stewart was elected as assistant chief.Stewart was chosen as the new Fire Chief. Brett Rogers, who served as training captain last year, has been promoted to replace Stewart as Assistant Fire Chief.Among those who spoke at the banquet was Assistant Fire Chief Barry Schwab, “Kenny has had a profound impact on our entire department, as leader of the department, as the face the department, and Judd's got some big shoes to fill tails. I know he's going to do it just fine. But it's going to be weird for a lot of us, I think for a while, Judd not least of all, to not be looking to Kenny, for orders, directions or just for the kind of as our compass, I guess, if you will. I don't know what else to say. I mean, I don't know what else to say.” Also at the banquet were Senator Tom Brandt and all three county commissioners, Mark Schoenrock, Michael Dux, and chair Gale Pohlmann.Brandt noted that Krause has testified in front of the Nebraska legislature Lincoln on numerous occasions on behalf of the fire department, “Kenny does a great job, not just for your department, for all the volunteers in the state, when he is up there testifying. He gets it.”In addition to the chief and assistant chiefs, the other elected officers announced were: Rescue Captain - Luke Bennett, Training Captain - Andrew Grummert, House Captain - Jon Novotny and Company Captain - Bryce Huss. Rock Creek Station FireFRFD's annual report was presented at the banquet and it showed the impact of the Rock Creek Station Fire. Of 2,075 total acres burned in Jefferson County in 2023, 1,800 were the result of that one fire.Pohlmann said, “I just want to say, on behalf of the County Commissioners, I want to thank you all for everything you did this spring during the Rock Creek fire. I came in that morning, after it started the day before, and as I walked towards the fire station, I was amazed at all the fire equipment, fire trucks, from all the different areas that came to help. And I just in awe at the brotherhood and the cooperation that you all have together.”“I remember talking a little bit to Kenny, and he had been up all night. He kind of looked like he'd been run over by a fire truck. And it was a real experience for me. So, I want to thank you for what you did.” said Pohlmann. “We had several other fire districts in our own county as well as throughout the state that helped. We want to thank you on behalf of the commissioners in the county. Thank you for what you did.” Betty's Way Wild FireAlso a topic of discussion at the banquet was the recent fire northeast of North Platte, dubbed the Betty's Way Wild Fire.FRFD joined the Barneston Rural Volunteer Fire Department and Wymore Fire and Rescue in sending personnel and equipment for mutual aid.The Nebraska State Fire Marshall's Agency has determined the fire human-caused, resulting from mowing operations. As of press time, more than 71,000 acres have been burned.Governor Jim Pillen declared an emergency Monday night, February 26. This will allow additional support from state agencies and use of the governor’s disaster funds. Nebraska's Incident Management Team has provided assistance to local agencies with fire suppression.PaintingTraditionally at the banquet there is a drawing for various handmade items, sometimes made out of disused fire equipment. For example, Krause won a much coveted “portable bar” made from a decommissioned fire extinguisher and containing a bottle of Jack Daniels Tennessee Fire.A highlight of the drawing was a painting by Missy Neemann. The painting was significant because it was not complete at the tie of the drawing. It depicts three firefighters in full gear rushing into a burning building. Left off were the names on the coats of the firefighters. Instead, Neemann decided that whoever won the painting would get to decide the names.Firefighter Niki Sokolik was the lucky winner of the painting and she opted for the names of the former fire chief and his two assistant chiefs: Krause, Schwab and Stewart.

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