F.F.A.M.

SJFD Cold Weather Construction Continues

Station 9 Construction Progress

On Friday May 4, we will host a series of classes that we hope you can attend. In an effort to make it easier to attend, we will have some four hour classes in the afternoon, in addition to the full day board member orientation and recruiting and retention classes. Be sure to sign up online. Registration starts Friday afternoon and we will have vendors set up during classes and registration. We will have a FFAM Booth and the Auxiliary will be hosting a silent auction. Friday evening is opening ceremonies followed by a mixer with snacks and drinks

Saturday morning is the firefighter contest. If you don’t plan on attending the contest, you may want to consider our Apple Blossom Parade. It will start at Noyes and Fredrick, ending up in the downtown area. Make sure you plan to arrive early, as spots on the parade route fill up quickly. Make sure the kids bring a bag to collect candy in.

Station 11 Construction Progress

If you plan on building a new station, buying new trucks or equipment, this next activity is for you. On Saturday afternoon, we look forward to giving tours of our two new stations. We will have firefighters on hand to guide you through the stations as well as truck displays, architects, communication and equipment vendors to tell you about their products that were installed in the stations and see them in use. The station tours will be followed by an opportunity to visit our own SJFD fire museum. Once you are done at the Fire Museum, the Patee House museum, Jesse James home and Pony Express National museum are all within walking distance. If time allows, make sure you visit the park across the street from the Pony Express Museum where you can see a restored Burlington Northern steam engine.

If stations aren’t your thing, we have a tour to the Remington Nature center on the riverfront. The nature center has a large aquarium, numerous animal exhibits and artifacts. After the indoor tour of the Nature Center you can take a leisurely walk around the Nature Center grounds or stroll along the river on our walking trail.

Still not your thing, then stay on the bus and have them drop you off at the Frontier Casino to try your luck at games of chance.

Or you can always go off on your own and play miniature golf at Cool Crest, go bowling at the nearby Belt Bowling alley, or visit the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, with works by Henri, Cassatt and Thomas Hart Benton. There is the Black Archives Museum, and Glore Psychiatric Museum, covering 400 years of psychiatric history. You could also drive our parkway system. The parkway runs from Krug Park in the North end to Hyde park in the South end. Both parks have large playground areas. Stop at Bartlett park and see the treehouse that was made for everyone to enjoy and then drive a mile down the parkway and skate on the ice at the Bode Ice arena. Or shoot some hoops on the outdoor courts. If you choose the parkway drive, be sure to stop at Wyeth Hill or King Hill observation points. Both sit high above the city and give great views of the river.

Saturday evening we have Bryan Dehner, the Fire Chief of Overland Park KS, giving a short presentation on the multiple story, multiple building fire that destroyed several apartment buildings under construction and damaged a large number of single family homes from the flying embers. After the banquet we will have live music by Phil Vandel.

We look forward to hosting FFAM and hope to see you in May.