 During the Logan County Board's meeting as a board of whole in
November, Lynn Haseley and Reynold Goff were honored for lifetime
service to emergency services and presented with the distinguished
Larry Shroyer Award.The annual awards are named for former civil
defense director Larry Shroyer.
By way of introduction, current EMA director Dan Fulscher
explained that Shroyer's ability to think ahead of his time made him
like the Walt Disney of emergency services. Shroyer came out of the
World War II era and was Logan County's director of what is now the
Emergency Management Agency. It was he who put the phone booth with
a working phone on Lincoln City Hall as a lookout point for storms.
Fulscher said: "He was the one that received the grants for the
public safety complex as you know it. He wrote a comprehensive
operations plan back in the '50s that without a doubt would today
still reach accreditation. I just marvel at his abilitiness."
Fulscher added that the lower level of the complex was dedicated to
Shroyer.
Calling forward Lynn Haseley, Fulscher said that Haseley has
served as a trustee of the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District
for 25 years and is its current president. To his credit, Haseley
aided in numerous changes to the department, with one of the most
significant being just a few years ago: the new building that allows
the consolidation of all the fire equipment in one location.
Among other advances, Haseley was also part of developing the
Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, Division 1. MABAS coordinates with
emergency management needs for water and other types of rescues.
Haseley, in response, confirmed: "A lot of these things have
happened, and I'm very pleased to have been a part of it, but it was
not just me alone. It took a lot of work and a lot of good people;
especially (those) on board when we went to pass a referendum to
build a firehouse."
He was most pleased with the relationship that has developed with
the city of Lincoln Fire Department. "That was one of my goals when
I came on as a trustee," Haseley said. "It's a win-win for
everybody."
As part of his learning experience, it became personal. He went
on to recall that the department had wanted an aerial truck, "and I
said, we don't need an aerial in our district."
"Well, our house burned down, and it was a big, old two-story.
They had a heck of a time putting out the roof. They said, boy, if
we'd had an aerial, this would have been a piece of cake. "
He chuckled, and others joined him as he continued: "Needless to
say, about three months later an aerial came up for sale in our
price range; there's an aerial parked in our garage now."
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Haseley concluded by saying that he had really enjoyed his
service and learned a lot over the years.
"There's some interesting times coming for fire service,
especially in Logan County as smaller departments find it harder and
harder to find people to man the stations," he said. "They're
relying on Lincoln Rural to help out because they know we are full
time."
"Thanks again. I certainly appreciate it. Thank you!" Haseley
said.
Fulscher called forward Reynold Goff as the other Larry Shroyer
Award recipient. Goff has over two decades of service with the
Chestnut Fire Protection District, having served as assistant chief
and chief.
Fulscher recalled calling on Goff during a blizzard, and with
assistance, Goff conducted over 35 rescues, cruising from Beason to
Latham by snowmobile. Then, after the roads closed, he came to
Lincoln, Fulscher said, and did a rescue of a man who had changed
his mind three times before deciding he wanted help. That was up at
Route 136.
Goff most recently represented the east side of the county in
putting numerous projects into the Logan County Hazards Mitigation
Plan.
Many of the projects for that area are water-related, ranging
from water districts that serve for drinking water and firefighting,
to flood control, particularly related to Salt Creek often coming
out of its banks during heavy rains. Having the projects in the plan
enables application for grant funding as it would become available.
Fulscher concluded: "With your due diligence, decades of health
and fire and EMS services to the area, we present Reynold Goff with
the Larry Shroyer Award of distinguished service and lifetime
dedication to safety of citizens of Logan County."
While Larry Shroyer died a number of years ago, he is remembered
well today. Special guest for the presentations to honor his memory
included Darwin Shroyer, Shroyer's nephew, from Decatur.
[By JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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