 Department Chief Chad Letterle said the promotions were given to the
three due to their outstanding work effort and in no small part to
their unwavering dedication to the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection
District.
The first is Assistant Chief Nick Hanson, who was promoted from
captain. Hanson has been with the department eight years. He is
local resident, married and has a 5-month-old son.
Ryan Sheley has been recently promoted to a full-time firefighter
from a part-time position. Sheley began his career as a firefighter
as a member of the youth Explorer program. He then came onto the
department as a volunteer, then moved into a volunteer/ part-time
position and has now been moved up into a full-time position with
the department.
Sheley lives locally, is married and has a 3 1/2-year-old
daughter.
Dave Hurley has been moved from firefighter to captain. Hurley is
a training officer and safety officer for the department and will
retain those positions along with his new title. Hurley joined the
department as a volunteer in 1997, became a part-time volunteer in
1998 and was promoted to full time in 2005.
Hurley is also a local resident, married, with three children and
three stepchildren.
Hanson explained the structure of the LRFPD, saying that the
department is made up of approximately 30 members but only six
full-time paid members.
In most cases, firefighters on the department begin as unpaid
volunteers. As they learn and gain experience, they are moved into
positions of volunteer/part time. Hanson said the firefighters are
still primarily volunteers in that position, but they are also
called in to fill in for full-time personnel as needed and do get
paid for their time spent then.
Finally, firefighters can work their way into a full-time
firefighter; then officer promotions start with captain.
Hanson said there are advantages to starting the firefighter
career as a volunteer. He noted that it is sometimes hard for career
departments to understand what being a volunteer firefighter is all
about. At LRFPD, they have a greater appreciation for the dedication
of the volunteers because they have been in that position. Hanson
noted the volunteers give of their time freely, spend time away from
their families and really do a great job for the department.
[to top of second column]
 |
Andy Anderson, left, with Assistant Chief Nick Hanson at the 9/11
flag-raising this past weekend.
Hanson also said he wanted to take a moment to acknowledge
another firefighter, Andy Anderson. Anderson also began as a
volunteer and is now a volunteer/part-time.
He said Anderson has volunteered to act on behalf of the
department in an effort to increase public awareness of the
department's activities.
Hanson said it was an important and much-needed service that
Anderson will be offering on behalf of the department.
In the first few days of his efforts, Anderson has assisted LDN
in acquiring run reports for the department and set up this photo op
and brief interviews with the firefighters for this story.
[By NILA SMITH]
 |
