At 8:00 a.m. trucks began arriving for deployment around the Capitol, and swearing in ceremonies were conducted at 9:30 a.m. by Commissioner Hudgens. The 2011 event was well attended, and we had our full complement of speakers on hand to meet and greet the firefighters. President Carter even had the opportunity to sing ‘happy birthday’ to the first lady of the State! Now how much better can it get than that! Our thanks and appreciation go to all of the elected officials who took the time from their hectic schedules to pause with us for a few moments to recognize and thank our public safety community of firefighters for the job they do every day, rain or shine, for what is too often a ‘thankless’ job.

I also want to express special appreciation to our Honor Guard, the Athens-Clarke County Fire Department, our bagpipe band, Valdosta Fire Department, and to our bugler, Lee Parker of Forsyth County Fire Department, who played ‘TAPS”. A lot of effort and coordination is required FAR, FAR IN ADVANCE for the recognition day event (Governor’s schedule, other speakers, scheduling of Capitol building, arrival of fire apparatus & deployment, Commissioner’s breakfast and swearing in of fire marshals, the Burn Foundation’s luncheon, honor guard and bagpipe band, bugler, speaker invitations, just to name a few). This is a very complex event to schedule and one not easily cancelled or postponed. There are several entities that are involved with us in the recognition day activities, and without them it would be hard to ‘pull off’ the event each year. From the commissioner’s breakfast (with lots of coordination and planning on that end), and the Burn Foundation’s luncheon (even more coordination and planning), to the hour when the last fire truck pulls away from the Capitol, those of us involved with the activities do not draw a easy breath until the tail lights on the last departing truck are seen. And last but certainly not least, although it takes a lot of ADVANCE planning and coordination to set up and plan the day, it would all be useless if the firefighters did not show up to appreciate our efforts and to be appreciated themselves by all of the elected officials. Firefighters are probably the most admired of any profession, and of course we want to keep them in the spotlight as much as possible and make our public officials aware of just what they do in their respective communities and the hazards they face on a daily basis as they go about their job of protecting the citizens of this great state.

President Carter in his article for the spring issue of the magazine talks about the Line of Duty Death Memorial Service held each year at the Georgia Public Safety Center in Forsyth, and his impression and poignant portrayal of the young daughter of one of the fallen firefighters being honored. As he mentions, this just really brings home the fact that although the number of LODD deaths each year is decreasing, even the death of one firefighter is one too many.