MEMBERS

    Tom began his life on this planet when he was born in 1959 in Boulder, Colorado. He grew up in neighboring Louisville and attended Boulder County Schools. He graduated in 1978 from Centaurus High School in Louisville, and took a 2 year course in machinist technology at Boulder Valley Vocational-Technical Institute.
    Tom met his bride, Mary, on the job and they were married in May of 1981. There have been two offspring from this union- Stacy, a senior at Arvada West High School and will graduate this spring, and Karla, a freshman at Lakewood High School in the International Baccalaureate program there.
    Tom was an apprentice machinist immediately from high school graduation with the Collins Machine and Manufacturing Company in Boulder. Then he accepted a position as Prototype Maintenance Machinist in December of 1979 with the Jolly Rancher Company, with which he worked for 23 years to their sale in December of 2002. He has enthusiastically accepted a new machinist job with the Sashco Company of Brighton and is looking forward to a bright future there.
    In December of 1980 Tom joined the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department and was assigned to Station 3. During his 18 years of service to his retirement, he held various positions including lieutenant and then captain of his station. He was a member of a variety of committees during his tenure and also became the department’s Quartermaster.
    Tom enjoys spending time with his family and is also an avid car racing enthusiast. He has joined with a partner and they now own their own race car. He admires his many trophies won over the past 10 years in the sport. He also likes to fish in his spare time.
    This firefighter has a deep pride in his department experiences and is proud of being a volunteer. He has expressed the enjoyment of every moment he spent as a member of the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department. He appreciated the comradeship of his colleagues and the trust and support that was built between them. He has good memories of working with great people in the department. The Wheat Ridge Lumber Yard fire exhibited the comradery that exists with his fellow firefighters. For the future in firefighting, Tom sees the development of better sensory and fire suppression systems in commercial, industrial buildings and residential homes that will arrest fires in their infancy, thereby preventing conflagrations.

     Everybody knows Chuck, locally, state-wide, nationally, and internationally (he has visited fire departments in all 50 and 18 foreign countries). This written biography about his life begins in Kansas City, MO, where he was born in 1934. He graduated from Westport High School in K.C. in 1952, began his collegiate studies at Kansas City Junior College, and then went on to Central Missouri State College on a football scholarship. It was at college that Chuck joined the Warrensburg (MO) Fire Department, and he can relate many life incidents that helped get him through his college days.  He graduated in 1956 with a BS in Business and Economics.  Next came the Army, and he was stationed at Ft. Holibird, MD, where he served in a counter-intelligence unit with a classified rank.  His assignments took him to various parts of the US and Europe, and his awards were, as he puts it, “the standard ones, you know: Good Conduct Medal, European Theater of Operations Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation Medal.” His interest in the fire service increased in the Army, as he was involved in firefighting duties with the Ft. Holibird Department, and training from the Baltimore Fire Department during 1957-58.
     In October of1958, a special event occurred.  Chuck married Carol and they now celebrate 48 years together. They are proud parents of Charles Michael, deceased while in the US Air Force; David William, fire instructor / retired chief;  John Lewis, Coors can specialist;  James Chester, Coors can plant;  Carol Johnson, elementary teacher;  and Scott Bruce, pastor of a California church.
     Chuck has always been interested in the fire service. It began with his dad, a firefighter in Kansas City. As a youngster, he used to visit his father at the fire station and “hung out”, learning about equipment and tactics. He has memories of working in fire stations in college, and in 1960 he moved to Security, CO, and joined the fire department, rose to Captain, also serving as an elected member of the fire board as president until 1968.  After being transferred to Salt Lake City by Allstate Insurance, he served with the county department as an advisor to the fire board, 1968-70.  Returning to Colorado, he joined the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department, serving at Stations 1, 2, and 6, and attaining the rank of Lieutenant.  During this time as a volunteer he also became an employee of the Arvada Fire Protection District. He became a fire inspector and Assistant Fire Marshal. One of  Chuck’s hobbies is photography, and he was instrumental in establishing the use of photography at fire scene and training sessions. During his employ with the AFPD, he continued to upgrade and keep current his educational qualifications by achieving an AA degree in Fire Science Tech / Fire Prevention in 1974, and he attained an AA degree in Criminal Justice in 1975 from Red Rocks CC.
     Chuck retired from the District and the Department in 1983, with 18 years as a volunteer firefighter and 12 years as a career Investigator / Marshal and Operations Supervisor, to create his own company - I-2 Investigations. His company performs investigations into the cause and origin of all types of fires and explosions. He has conducted investigations for insurance companies, law firms, local governments, and fire service organizations in 16 states, Canada, and Mexico.  He has spent thousands of hours in court testifying in both civil and criminal cases leading to the conviction of offenders and settlements for those wronged. In addition, he has found evidence that led to recalls of vehicles which were public hazards, caused changes in codes and laws that did not protect the public from certain methods and procedures, and promoted changes in fire equipment used by personnel.
     Chuck also teaches courses in fire safety, prevention, suppression, investigation, emergency medical response systems, and CPR.  He is a certified instructor for the National Association of Fire Investigators and National Fire Protection Association, as well as an accredited instructor of the Community College System of Colorado. He conducts classes and seminars at various community colleges, fire departments, US Military and government installations and conferences. He has instructed at the NY State Fire Academy, Illinois Fire Academy, Chicago fire Department, Montana Fire School, Southern Pennsylvania Fire School, and the US Homeland Security Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD.  He is a contributor of articles to numerous fire publications and is the author of  A Systematic Approach to the Investigation, Evaluation, and Disposition of Fire Losses.  He is a past member of the Colorado Governor’s Fire Safety Task Force, past president of the CO/WY Chapter of the American Association of Arson Investigators, past president of the CO Fire Marshals Association, past member of the Executive Board of Fire Marshals of North America, and a lobbyist for the State of Colorado on fire matters, as well as a member of the National Fire Protection Association. He has also lobbied for CO Fireman’s Pension Laws covering career and volunteer firefighters, CO fireworks laws, and the City of Arvada fireworks codes.  He also designs fire trucks: best known is the National Park Service. 
     One of Chuck’s many experiences was while investigating a vehicle fire for a private insurance company involving a death, he found that faulty wiring that was installed at the factory was the cause.  The findings were the same as five previous cases he worked. He testified in court, presenting the faulty installation, using photos and actual wire from the vehicle. The jury found the manufacturer at fault, eventually leading to a recall of all like vehicles, thus saving millions of dollars in repair costs to buyers, and most likely many injuries and probable deaths.
     Chuck continues in his investigation business today and has added more instruction courses into his teaching program. He has also found time to work for the Adams County election Judges Division, plus has added a membership in the Arvada Fire Department Retired Members.  As past CO/WY Chairman of the Fire Service Division of Muscular Dystrophy, he serves as helper and advisor.
     He envisions the future of firefighting to see changes in equipment and techniques.  He can see a time when water as a source for extinguishment will be used sparingly. He foresees a fire truck as a small vehicle that carries a tank filled with a gaseous element, applied by a small diameter hose under pressure, and placed into the structure by a single fireman. That firefighter will simply make an opening and shoot the gas into the building. The fire will go out with little cleanup needed.  Halon, now in use, is the forerunner of such material. Chuck believes fire personnel will become more emergency- medically-oriented, especially where traumatic injuries are involved.
     This gentleman has demonstrated his dedication and love for the fire service, and the comradeship and working with good people has led to his enjoyment of being a firefighter. He takes pride in providing service for the community, and a good crusader in taking part in national and community work to help build positive fire protection service. He plans to continue in his chosen profession, and thanks his dad for the influence he gave to his life and love of firefighting.  He wishes all firefighters and his friends the same enjoyment he has had.

    Everett is another Colorado native, born in Denver in 1928. “Ducky”, as he is known to his friends, attended the Denver Public Schools and graduated in 1948 from West High School.
    He served in the US Army from 1950 to 1952 with the Second Division, 23rd Regiment. He took training at Fort Riley, Kansas, and Private Dorcas was then sent to serve in Korea as a gunner. He was awarded the American Defense Medal and the Korean Presidential Medal for his service during the Korean Conflict.
    In 1952, Everett married his wife Shirley, and two children completed the family. Danny is an engineer and lives here in Arvada and Debra is a housewife who lives in Westminster.
    In 1950, “Ducky” - prior to his entrance into the army - began working for the Coors Company in the ceramics department. He retired in 1990 with 40 years of service to the company, where he held the position of a metrologist and calibrated high-tech instruments.
    This soft-spoken gentleman became a volunteer with the Arvada Fire Department in 1968. During his 20 years of service in the fire department to retirement 1988, he held the position of quartermaster and also became lieutenant and captain of Station 1. He was a member of various committees, among which was the personnel board.
    “Ducky” enjoys woodworking as a hobby. He has created sets of furniture and cabinets. In addition, he enjoys golfing, but has a special interest in working with the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 211, and has taken an active part in the troop for the past 10 years. Since retiring, "Ducky" enjoys his hobbies as well as relaxing and working in his yard.
    Two large fires impressed "Ducky" during his years of firefighting with the Arvada Fire Department. He expressly remembers the Castlegate Apartment fire that occurred under cold, wintery conditions, covering firefighters with a sheet of ice, caused slippery underfooting, and even froze water in the fire hoses. His second remembrance was of the Thoro fire, a dangerous chemical fire that produced explosions and gases.
    "Ducky" is interested in fire equipment of the future and wonders what new technologies for firefighting in equipment technology and strategies in suppressing future fires are yet to be seen. He has enjoyed working with his fellow firefighters and wishes them the best in the future.

    Mr. Matevi is the senior member of our department. He was born in Segonzano, Italy (part of the Tyrol/Austrian nationality), September 8, 1911. He came to the United States in 1921 when he was 10, and settled in Trinidad, Colorado. He attended school at the Ramey Coal Mine School to the 8 th grade, and ultimately went to work as a miner in the Ramey Coal Mine until its closure in 1935. Al then moved to Arvada and worked as a miner in the nearby Leydon Coal Mine to its closure in 1950. Then he became employed with the Jefferson County Suburban Construction Company and worked there until he retired in 1982.
    In 1933, Al met and married Elizabeth, and they enjoy a lifetime together in Arvada. They reared 4 children; Lana, Don, and Tom all live in Arvada. Terry was deceased in 1961 as a result of an automobile accident in the Army.
    Al joined the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department in 1950, when fire equipment was housed in the city building on Grandview Boulevard and Yukon Street. He helped move to the 1 st fire house on West 57 th Avenue, and rose to the rank of captain of the department. Later, Al built a new house, moved his family there, and was then assigned to Station 3. He retired from the department after 20 years of fire service in 1970.
    Al is a jovial and fun guy to be around. He is a well-liked, dedicated, and a loyal member of the fire department. His friends and family all agree - “Nothing kept him from responding to a fire alarm.” He took firefighting seriously and did all he could to fight fires. His family members recall one of his firefighting activities that caused his fall through a roof while fighting a house fire. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and loved bowling, and especially baseball and softball. Al played softball in the North Jeffco Senior League ‘til he was 83, but in one game as he ran to the plate, he collided with another player and broke some of his ribs. As a result he decided to slow down!
    This gentleman remembers the Metz Lumber Company fire as being one of the largest fires that he helped suppress. He expresses pleasure with friendships made with guys like Earnie Doane, Charlie Greeno, Junior Schneider, and the excitement and fun of being a comrade of firefighters in the department. He declares that his experiences with his fellow firefighters in the Arvada Fire Department were the greatest adventures of his life, and if possible he would love to do it all over again!

     An active guy who likes to “get involved” is Bob Monzingo. He was born in Pocatello, ID, in 1944. He attended the Denver Public Schools when his family moved to Denver, and he graduated from Denver North High School in 1962.
     He immediately went to work for the Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company. Where he was employed as a telephone installer. As time progressed, Bob was assigned “all kinds of jobs” for the company, so that he knew it “from the inside out”. He became part of management at MST&T and worked with state and other company representatives in determining telephone rates, and worked on “rate cases”.  He worked for MST&T from 1962 to 1984, when the company transferred to American Telephone & Telegra[h. He continued in his duties to 1990, when he retired at age 46, after 28 solid years of service. However, in 1994 he re-entered the work force for US West, and assisted them until 2001, performing duties he had previously learned at AT&T.  He then decided to once again “try retirement”.
     Bob met Donna, the sister of a co-worker while at AT&T. Things worked out for them and they were married in 1965. The marriage produced two sons - Bob, Jr. now working for the Arvada Fire Protection District as a captain at Station 5 and living in Broomfield; and Jeff, who is a police officer with the Arvada Police Department.
     In 1965, Bob, Sr. joined the US Army Reserve, based at the Denver Federal Center. The major job of the unit was to provide basic training for Army recruits. Each year the unit would head out for summer camp where Bob modestly admits he received various awards and the “usual medals”. His 6 ½ year enlistment completed, he was honorably discharged with the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1972. 
     Bob joined the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department in 1972 and was assigned to Station 4 temporarily until the building of Station 5. He subsequently purchased a home in Station 7's area and was then assigned there. He served on various boards during his service with the department, including the Personnel Board, Training Board, Pension Board, and Executive Board. During his fire “career” was also elected to the command offices of Lieutenant, Captain, and Assistant Chief, and became the Chief of Training. Also, as a dedicated firefighter, he was proud of being a  member of the largest volunteer fire department west of the Mississippi. His love for the firefighting service  led him to be the Arvada Fire Department’s Representative to the Tri-County Fire Fighters Association for the Denver Metro area.   There he was elected to Trustee, Vice-President, and President of the Association.
     And this wasn’t all for Bob, as he was elected to the Arvada Fire Protection District Board in 1998 by the citizens of the fire district, and served as treasurer to 2002.  It is noted the the District Board began the “change-over” during this time from an all-volunteer department to a combination department by hiring a full-time paid chief and 18 paid full-time firefighters. Further hirings of full-time paid personnel subsequently continued.
     Bob remembers the largest fire during his tenure as the Wheat ridge Lumber Yard fire that took place in the middle of the night, and saw the response of fire equipment for 5 Arvada stations as well as 2 from Wheat Ridge. “We poured a million gallons of water on that blaze before it was completely subdued. Bob is also proud of instituting firefighter certification to meet requirements in conjunction with national ratings, and he feels the growing fire district was to the point of needing paid personnel to respond to the more than 6000 calls a year at the turn of the 21st Century. Bob remembers and enjoyed the comradeship of his fellow firefighters as he recalls the dedication of the 200-plus members of the department. He says, “It’s as if we had all joined a gigantic family that helped each other both on and off duty times.”
     And...Bob isn’t done yet. He is a staunch supporter of his firefighting family by serving as Secretary of the Retired Members organization, and has helped develop many projects such as the acquiring of an Arvada city park named “Arvada Volunteer Firefighters Park”. He and Donna also provide the computer work and construction of the annual personal Retired Members calendar. His love of the fire service has led to an extensive collection of memorabilia that he is proud to display. He also sports “fyrewizard” as part of his e-mail address.
     Bob foresees a critical and expanded role for the fire service since departments around the country as well as Arvada will be called upon to provide more and more complex services to its citizens. Firefighting, emergency medical assists, terrorism situations....Bob feels that only the fire service is able to handle the requirements of these conditions.
     Over the years, Bob has appreciated the comradeship of his fellow firefighters and has the fondest memories of all those with whom he served. He wishes all his friends the best of luck and takes pride in those who will have the honor of being called firefighters of the future.

    A kind and humble gentleman and great supporter of the Arvada Fire Department, Jim was born in 1930 at Adams City, Colorado. He attended nearby Mandalay School then Arvada Senior High School, graduating in 1947. He enlisted a year later into the US Air Force, serving from November of 1948 to September of 1952. Jim underwent basic training in San Antonio, TX, before being assigned to aerial armament school at Lowry AFB in Denver He also saw service at Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, NV, and at Luke AFB in Phoenix, AZ, and held the rank of Staff Sergeant prior to his discharge.. He achieved the Sharpshooters Medals in both pistol and rifle categories, and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal.
    On February 18, 1949, he married his high school sweetheart, Eileen. Jim and Eileen parented three children: Jay, an electronics technician who will soon become a Florida citizen; Mike, who lives in Coontookcook (near Concord), NH, where he works for the US Geological Survey; and Kaeleen, who holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science and works for Raytheon Corporation at Buckley in Aurora. She resides in Arvada.
    Following his discharge, Jim was employed by an auto supply company for a year before going to work for the Dow Chemical Company at Rocky Flats. His employ as a metallurgical technician there, led to an elevation to foreman of the metal fabrication division. He retired in 1988 at the age of 58 after 35 years of service. During this time, Jim joined the Arvada Fire Department in October of 1953 to his retirement in March, 1980, after26 ½ years as an Arvada firefighter. He was originally assigned to Station One, then to Four upon its opening. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant and was a member of various boards and committees, including the pension board. He also held the office of Treasurer of the Fire Department and was elected to 3 terms by the citizens of Arvada to serve on the Arvada Fire Protection District Board from 1972 to 1986, first as director, then as vice president, and finally as president of the board. He was involved in the building of stations 6, 7, and 8, as well as the Fire Training Center. Not only was he actively involved in these accomplishments, but Eileen demonstrated her support by originally designed and creating the Fire Department’s first “Ready to Serve” logo and shoulder patch. She also wrote the poem “The Fireman’s Wife”, which was read at the 75 th Anniversary celebration of the Fire Department.
    Together with his membership and support for the Arvada Firefighters Retired Members, Jim is also a civil and community supporter. He was a member of the Arvada Elks for over 12 years. He is a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge and is also a Shriner. He also holds membership in the Scottish Rite of Denver and the York Rite of Golden. Since his retirement, Jim enjoys traveling and fishing. He has traveled throughout Europe and Russia. He also makes good use of his RV camper, traveling to all corners of the US.
    Jim is rightly proud of his major contribution to the Fire Protection District - his involvement in the concept, construction, and fruition of the combined Training Center and Station 8, which allowed for complete firefighter training, including classrooms, auditorium, pit burning, fire burn house, and rescue areas. He also remembers the Metz Lumberyard fire as being one of the toughest conflagrations. He emphasizes that he is proud to have had the life experiences of a volunteer firefighter for the Arvada community, and the opportunity to work with “a great bunch of guys”. He believes the growth of the city and fire district, now at about 120,000 people, will eventually lead to a fully-paid career fire service, and that because of the evolution of future technologies, firefighting will be more dependent upon various types of sensing and suppression devices, and the days of using massive amounts of water to fight fires will dwindle. Jim wishes the best of luck to all his fire comrades, together with those who will develop into the firefighters of the future.

     Emil, Junior to all his many friends is a real Arvada native, having been born on the ridge here on December 31, 1917, almost a New Year’s Baby, making him 89 years old now.  Junior, the first of 6 siblings, grew up on his parents’ farm, and attended Holy Family School.  He was also a self taught surveyor.  He states that the biggest event in his life was meeting Josephine, whom he married in 1938.  They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on February 28, 2007.  Their marriage was blessed with 3 daughters: Louise (Howell), now living in Arvada; Marie (Terrell) and Joanie (Elston), both residing in Phoenix.  He and Josephine proudly claim 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren along with several uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces who complete their family. 
     Junior worked the family farm that covered most of what is now known as the City of Arvada.  The main crops raised were wheat, barley, and sugar beets, as well as some cattle.  As the years progressed, horse-drawn equipment gave way to motorized farm machinery.
     Junior originally joined the Arvada Fire Department in 1939 responding to fire and rescue calls from the town hall on Grandview Avenue.  He was well-acquainted with everyone in town, and enjoyed helping and working with all the townspeople, because in those days, everybody knew everyone else in town.
     He was always active in the community, and helped build Fire House #1, in 1953, our first station, in Olde Town. “He was known to lend and use his own farm equipment when needed in many fire and rescue situations for the betterment of the community to help his fellow citizens. When he saw that something needed doing, he pitched right in and did it, many times on his own,” stated one of his fellow firefighters.  Junior was well-liked and trusted in the town.
     During the war years, because the country needed farmers to raise crops for the military and to feed the nation, Junior was not called into the service.  He had insight into the workings of finance, and became an expert in developing and supervising the management of the fire department’s financial matters.  He was known to perform his farm activities while carrying in his bib overalls a booklet in which he would record financial notes and transactions of the fire department.  He worked daily in establishing and developing the financial support stanchions and security that caused the aggressive growth of the fire department in its building, equipment, and development.  Junior always had the community and the fire department in his heart.   
    Emil served the fire department for more than 30 years before retiring from active service.  Following retirement he was then elected for 4 consecutive terms (another 16 years) to the Fire Protection Board by the citizens of Arvada, and served as Board treasurer.  During his tenure he was directly responsible for developing the expansion of the fire service in the building of new stations and purchasing fire equipment for them.  He helped position these facilities around the city as it grew to provide fire and rescue  service for its people.
     Always a friend, Junior was a devoted hard worker who was always there when you needed him.  He has been called a stalwart of the fire department and the Arvada community.  He had the people’s trust and the ability to get things done without fanfare.
     Emil has been involved in many activities around town over the years which are too numerous  to list, but he touts the Elks, the Colorado Wheat Board,  the Farm Loan Board,  and the Arvada City Government as being among his favorite activities. He was also a member of St. Anne’s Parish in Arvada, regularly attending mass there.  In addition, he found time to be an avid big game hunter and fisherman.  A family man, he especially enjoyed taking his family on motor rides and fishing trips to Leadville and other mountain spots.  He and Josephine also took great pleasure in touring the country, visiting family and friends from the East coast to the West coast in their RV.
     Junior recalls the largest fire in Arvada’s history, the Metz Lumber Company fire. It was an arson fire occurring on May 14, 1960, which consumed a substantial part of downtown Arvada.  He relates that he was proud to have worked with his fellow firemen in fighting and stopping that fire, saving much of the center of the town.
     He marvels at the modern equipment of  today’s fire service  and, while remembering all his friends in the past, wishes well to all the current firefighters and those of the future.
     In his golden years, he still savors his favorite meal, spaghetti, and keeps up with shows on TV, but is happiest when relating stories of his lifetime events with family and friends.

    Bob was born in 1927 in Denver, and he is proud to be a native of the great state of Colorado. He attended Edison Grade School and graduated in 1945 from North High School in Denver. He joined the US Navy in 1945 and was assigned to the Navy’s Signal School at the Great Lakes Training Center, Illinois, and then went aboard a fleet supply ship, the USS Draco (AK479). Following that assignment, he went aboard the Battleship USS Mississippi, sailing both coasts and through the Panama Canal. He was discharged from the US Navy in 1947 with the rank of Signalman Petty Officer 3rd class.
    He then returned to Denver and enrolled in the University of Denver, graduating in 3 years with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Advertising. He married his bride, Sue, fifty-two years ago, and they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in the year 2000.
    Everyone knows Bob’s son “Sparky” (Kent), a Fire Marshal for the Arvada Fire Protection District for many years. His daughter Kim, a gracious lady, still lives in Arvada.
    After his college graduation, Bob went into broadcasting as a radio announcer at KFEL radio, and in 1952, was the first announcer to sign on the air on Denver’s first TV station, KFEL-TV, Channel 2. He also worked as an announcer at KOA radio and TV for 15 years, and became an account executive for KMGH-TV 7 in Denver.
    In his spare time, he was involved in a variety of community activities, was the parade announcer at many Arvada Festival Parades, and was Master of Ceremonies at the dedication of the new Arvada Arts Center.
    The community has been fortunate to know Bob as a fire fighter in the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department. He moved from Denver to Arvada in 1956 and became a member of the department. He was assigned to our only fire station (Station 1) at the time, and then to Station 4 as the department began to grow. The “old timers” will remember Bob as being the Department Administrator for many years, chairing the general meetings, a job he performed with great success.
    Bob retired from the department in 1976, with 20 years service to the community. But....he wasn’t yet ready to “hang up his coat”. He was elected to the AFPD Board in 1976 and served for 20 years in that position, for a total of 40 years in the community’s fire service. He has many memories from his service, and his greatest pride was in planning, organizing, and developing the Fire District Training Center, adjacent to Station 8. He was instrumental in putting into action the center’s amphitheater, studios, audio and video training systems. He contributed toward the “burn house” and “fire pits” as well. He has fond memories of the many friends he made throughout Colorado, and values the comradeship he has shared.
    Since retiring, Bob has pursued his enthusiasm for railroads as a conductor and narrator on the Georgetown Loop tourist railroad, and by being consultant and sales representative for the Caboose Hobby Store in Denver, one of the largest railroad hobby stores in the world.
    Bob’s appreciative comment is, “It’s been fun!”

    One of our loyal retired member supporters, Tom originally hails from Chicago, where he was born in 1928. He attended St. James School and Waller High School, both in Chicago. During these years he served his country by enlisting in the US Navy and served during 1945-6 at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center and the Naval Station in San Francisco. He received fire-fighting training and was assigned to Special Services, with the rank of Specialist X. He then returned to Waller High School to graduate in 1947. While in the Navy, he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the Victory Medal. After his tour of duty, he attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, taking courses in Business Management, emphasizing Time and Motion Studies.
    In 1948, he met and married Dolores. They were married 53 years until her passing in 2001. Tom and Dolores parented 2 children while in Chicago: son Thomas is now a theologian, and teaching in a parochial school in Lafayette, Colorado; and daughter Elizabeth is employed by the US Department of the Interior and lives in Arvada. The couple moved to Phoenix, where son John was born. He is now an attorney, practicing law in Chicago. An adopted daughter, Lorraine, is an entrepreneur living in Conifer. A second adopted daughter, Mary, came from Korea and is a homemaker living nearby in Arvada.
    Tom has been involved in transportation all his lifetime. He began driving trucks right after high school and continued in the transportation business in Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona, becoming Terminal , then District, then Regional Manager. This succession witnessed his move to Arvada to continue his advancements. Meanwhile, he also worked inspecting repossessed homes for the US Department of Housing & Urban Development. Tom has been a busy man throughout his life and still does not consider himself retired. He continues to work part-time as an inspector of freight-damaged materials to this day.
    To top it all off, he also joined the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department in 1981, feeling he could put to good use the firefighting training he received in the Navy. He served at Station 8 on Indiana Street, and was on the Personnel Board and Fire Prevention Board to his retirement from the Department in 1991. He has fond memories of “working with the guys at Station 8" and especially “getting up in the middle of the night to answer calls”.
    Besides working part time, he still finds time to be a collector of coins, model railroads, and antique fire equipment. He has several “ soda-acid fire extinguishers and other fire paraphernalia” in his collection. He is also a staunch supporter of the Department’s retired members. Although the Department’s fire training was second to none, Tom forsees the possibility of a degree in fire service becoming a requirement to become a firefighter. This type of training will be needed to understand and operate the new technologies of the fire science. As first responders, he wishes all firefighters well and is willing to give all the support he can to the fire service.

    Lynn entered this life in 1938 in Denver, and later moved to Englewood where he attended Englewood High School, and also received a high school diploma. He has also attended classes at Red Rocks Community College, Colorado State University, as well as Texas A&M, taking fire science courses. Lynn served in the US Army in 1961 and was awarded an honorable medical discharge. He was married to Betty in 1960 and a son was born of this union. Robert, who is married and lives in Westminster, is employed as an office machine repairman. His granddaughter, Cora Mae, is his pride and joy. Lynn is now divorced.
    Lynn has shown a variety of abilities in a host of jobs that include warehousing, truck driving, manager of a car wash/car repair business, sales for a local brick and concrete company, and in fire safety. His most prevalent occupation has been with the Jefferson County School System where his job titles included Fire Prevention Technician, Fire Safety Inspector, and Fire Extinguisher Technician. He began work for the Jeffco Schools in April, 1970, and retired in August of 1999, after 29 years of service with the school system.
    From January, 1961, to July of 1969, Lynn was a member of the Cunningham Volunteer Fire Department in Arapahoe County. During his 7 ½ years with Cunningham, he was elected to the office of lieutenant and was also the department’s training officer. After moving to Arvada in 1969, he joined the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department and served at Stations 1 and 3 until his assignment to Station 6 upon its opening. He served on the Fire Prevention Board and was an arson inspector for four years, from 1971 to 1975. Lynn worked on a variety of committees while in the fire department and also served as station Secretary/Treasurer on two separate occasions, and worked on the department’s annual dinner committee during the 1980s. He was elected to lieutenant in 1982, 1984, and 1985. He retired in 1989 with 20 years of firefighting experience with the department, thus having a total of 27 ½ years of firefighting tenure.
    Since his retirement, Lynn has been able to do some traveling and fishing, and also to pursue his hobbies of photography, stained glass artwork, and building model train sets. His memories are of 2 fires in Olde Town Arvada years ago: one that involved a local meat processing store that Lynn described as a “good quick stop” that saved adjacent buildings, and the second was the Army/Navy Store fire that enlisted many of the department’s firefighting resources. He has pleasant memories as well in working with all his firefighting friends in coordinating several of the department’s social functions such as the memorable yearly Christmas dinners.
    For the future, Lynn foresees great strides in the progression of arson prevention and investigation technologies, something in which he has always been interested. He would like to send best wishes to all his firefighting brethren.

    Dean is another native Coloradan, born 1939 in Denver. He graduated from Arvada High School in 1957. In 1958 he enlisted in the US Navy and was honorably discharged in 1963. He was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Denver (Buckley Field) until it was decommissioned, then was transferred to the Anacostia Naval Air Station in Washington, DC. There he rose to the rank of Petty Officer Third Class (E4).
    He worked for Empire Automotive, managing their Arvada auto parts store from 1961 to 1967. He was a brewery worker at Adolph Coors Brewery in Golden from 1967 to 1969 when he went to work for the Arvada Fire Protection District. He continued his education by attending Red Rocks Community College between 1972 and 1978, obtaining two degrees - an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science and an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice. He then went on to graduate from Regis College in Denver in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Technical Management.
    Dean was married in 1984 to Joyce. He has three children by a previous marriage - Sheri C. Meyers, who is a registered nurse living in Arvada; Kathleen M. Eggart, a Licensed Practical Nurse living in Arvada; and Scott W. Smith, a Denver police officer and attorney, living in Wheat Ridge. He also has four step-children.
    Dean joined the Arvada Fire Department in 1965 and retired in 1987 after 22 years of service. He was assigned to Station 1. During his time as a volunteer fireman, he was appointed as Department Chaplain and rose to the rank of Captain. He was also Department Treasurer. He participated in several outdoor fire service organizations and associations during those 22 years, including the Joint Council of Colorado Fire Services, the Jefferson County Grand Jury Fire & Safety Advisory Committee, and the State Auditor’s Fire & Police Pension Committee.
    While Dean was a volunteer fireman, the fire protection district was in need of a full-time manager. He applied and was hired as the first full-time employee, and became District Manager in 1969. He held this position for 16 years. He was a lobbyist at the State Legislature for the department and the Colorado State Fire Fighters Association for 9 years, assisting in the passage of many of the laws that benefitted the volunteer fire service, including the revamping of the volunteer firefighters’ pension, several increased benefits including vesting, and an increase on the state match of local pension mill levies. During this time of service, he became a lifetime honorary member of the Colorado Firefighters Association.
    Following Dean’s employment as District Manager, he advanced in his firefighting career, becoming the first Director of the Division of Fire Safety for the State of Colorado, a position he held for 8 years from 1985 to 1993. During this time, he was involved in establishing fire safety and training programs, and fire fighter certification programs for fire departments state-wide, and was Colorado Fire Training Director. As State Training Director, he represented Colorado at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD, from 1987 to 1993. One of his major accomplishments as director was getting National Accreditation approved for the Colorado Fire Fighter certification programs. Another accomplishment was obtaining legislation that required all fire suppression systems in Colorado to be installed by registered fire suppression system contractors and be inspected by certified inspectors. He also fought to ensure that all casinos in Colorado be protected by fire sprinkler systems regardless of their size.
    Dean transferred to the western slope in 1992 and stepped down to the position of Deputy Director in 1993. He held this position until his retirement in April of 1998, working out of his home in Palisade.
    He received a commendation certificate from the Colorado Senate and House of Representatives, presented to him on the floor of the House of Representatives on March 25, 1998, recognizing his 33 years of distinguished service to the citizens of Colorado from 1965 to 1998. He also received the Colorado flag that flew over the Capitol Building on April 30, 1998, the date of his retirement.
    Because of a need for western slope representation, Dean accepted a part-time position with the Division of Fire Safety in May of 1998 and currently holds that position, conducting fire sprinkler system inspections and approving fireworks licenses and certifications.
    Since moving to Palisade, Dean was elected Mayor for 6 of the 9 years he served on the Palisade Town Board of Trustees.
    When he has time for hobbies, he likes to do woodworking projects.
    This energetic and capable guy sees homeland security being of the utmost importance since September 11, 2001. As a result of terrorism, he recognizes that the safety of the nation’s people has taken on a different perspective, and is therefore of top priority. He realizes that fire safety will need to expand to include added duties for protection of the state’s citizens. In his lifetime of experiences with the fire service he has gotten to know many extraordinary people and he feels “There is nobody better and more dedicated than the nation’s firefighters.” Members of this department are sincerely appreciative of Dean’s help and accomplishments to the fire service.

Dean Smith

    Father of an Arvada family, Angelo was born in Denver, Colorado, in November, 1936. He attended elementary school in Arvada and graduated from Arvada Sr. High School in 1955. He began his family when he married a Colorado Springs girl, Carol, at the Shrine of Ste. Anne, Arvada, in 1957. A son, Mike, born in 1958, also graduated from Arvada High School and now lives in Westminster. A daughter, Lisa, came next. She is now a homemaker with 4 children of her own and is living in Arvada. Angelo’s second daughter, Adrianne, is a travel agent for the Mile High Travel Agency and also lives in Arvada.
    Angelo began working at a very young age. While in grade school he learned to drive a tractor and truck to help his father on their 10 acre truck farm, where they planted and harvested a variety of produce for sale. The farm was located on N. Sheridan Boulevard near what is now the overpass near 58th Avenue. Following his high school graduation, Angelo worked at a local grocery store for approximately 1 ½ years. He left that employ to work for the East Jefferson Meat Company for 2 years as a meat cutter. It was while he worked for the Maples Electric Company of Denver that he decided to become an entrepreneur in his own right by purchasing Barnum Liquors in Denver. He was owner/operator of the store for 20 years from 1960 to 1980, when he sold the business and retired, only to take a position in maintenance with the Arvada Fire Protection District. He enjoyed the different pace of work in the fire service that was a hobby as well as an employ, and he remained with them for 20 more years to an additional “retirement” in 2000.
    His enjoyment and dedication to the Arvada community began with his joining the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department in 1971, when he was assigned to Station 2, where he was Quartermaster, and also attained the rank of Lieutenant. As he attended a variety of fire service academies and training schools, the Fire Department was experiencing tremendous growth. Two years later Angelo became Captain of newly-opened Station 6. His pride and joy was the 65-foot snorkle, positioned at Station 6, and he was responsible for the training of many Arvada firefighters on that apparatus. He became an Assistant Chief of the Department and was also assigned as Fire Prevention Chief, positions he enjoyed and worked at diligently until his retirement from the volunteer force in July of 1991. Besides belonging to the Arvada Elks Lodge, Angelo became well-known throughout the Colorado Fire Service for his spaghetti dinners, which he and his comrades at Station 6 would “cook up” through the years.
    Since his retirement form the District and his service as a volunteer firefighter and officer, he has once again become an entrepreneur by starting and managing his own part-time company of constructing unusually unique bird houses. He distributes and sells these originally designed articles throughout the Denver Metro area.
    Angelo remembers the Wheat Ridge Lumber Yard fire as one of the largest, since it called equipment from five Arvada stations to the scene, along with two Wheat Ridge stations. Over a million gallons of water was needed to subdue the stubborn blaze. He also recalls the rapid expansion of the volunteer department from four to eight stations, plus a training center and appropriate fire apparatus needed to cover all the Fire Protection District. He is proud to have had a direct hand in the development of this self-sustaining volunteer department. He gives great credit to two influential people who managed the advancement of the department, namely Chiefs Dale Penn and Matt Kramer. He revels in the growth of the Arvada Fire Protection District in the past and can forsee in the future the need for several surrounding fire districts to merge into an inclusive and comprehensive fire protection area. He wishes the best to his comrades of the past and to all who now take up the reins for the future fire service.

    Allen Windecker, known to his friends as Windy, is another of the crew that has a definite interest in firefighting. Windy was born on May 5, 1937, in Denver and was educated in the Denver Public Schools to his graduation from South Denver High in 1955. He joined the Colorado National Guard in 1956 and was assigned to the 947 th Medical Battalion at Ft. Carson as a medic. He attained the rank of Sergeant by the time he was discharged in 1960. He was just “out” when he was recalled to active duty with the US Army during the Berlin Airlift Crisis, and was stationed at an Army hospital at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. His medical knowledge has been of great value to the fire department’s EMS services. He was discharged from the Army a year later and returned home to marry Peggy on December 4, 1963. Windy’s son Jeff is a lieutenant in the Denver Fire Department and resides in Castle Rock, Colorado.
    Windy recalls he began working for the Public Service Company of Colorado on January 17, 1957, and took time out for the National Guard and Army. His work with Public Service dealt mainly with natural gas services, and he constructed and repaired gas meters, regulators, and valves. He also became an expert in gas control equipment and that was an asset in his helping the fire department with natural gas emergencies. Windy worked for CPSC for 40 years, retiring on April 1, 1994.
    Windy is a realistic “down to earth” firefighter. What he says makes sense and what he says he does. He joined the Arvada Volunteer Fire Department in 1968 and rose to the rank of captain at Station 3. While in the department he served on a variety of committees, but his favorite was being a member of the department’s Personnel Board. He enjoys reveling in the accomplishments of helping his fellow firemen while on that board. Windy retired from the department in 1988, after 20 years of dedicated service.
    Since his retirement from work and the fire department, he can be found pursuing 2 or 3 favorite pastimes of fishing, camping, and traveling. Windy and Peggy own a motor home that they keep busy year in and year out. Their travels have taken them to all parts of North America, and their latest foray taking them to 30 different states along the East Coast and Deep South.
    Windy is an active member of our Retired Members group, and he is well-respected by all members of the department for his common sense thinking. He can be counted on to “keep things straight”. Looking back on his days with the Fire Department, he enjoyed the friendship of his comrades in the fire service. The friendships Windy and Peggy have made in the fire department have become a close and loving family. He especially appreciated the Christmas dinners and celebrations, and he enjoyed organizing various events for the kids in the Arvada community.
    Windy sees future technology in the fire service that will lead to better chemicals and gases that will be used in automatic situations of fire suppression that will reduce water damage to structures. He also envisions the use of x-ray and television equipment in locating “hot spots” in buildings, thereby allowing better approaches in firefighting. We all believe Windy will be right.