News From DMRVFD Fire Chief Edna Queen
January 30-31 STAM Training
On Wednesday and Thursday, January 30-31, 2024, Chief Edna Queen and I attended the STAM (Staging Area Manager) training in Marfa, TX. Should we ever have an incident we will be better equipped to help our department assist the feds in setting up staging and resources. It was great training and networking.
Ronda Honeycutt
Thanks to Rhonda Honeycutt for the photos
Just wanted to let everyone know that I am following Pam Edwards as your local Firewise rep for the DMR. The DMR residents went over and beyond for 2023. Thank you for all that turned in your reports last year.
For our new folks, there is information at the DMPOA on how to mitigate your property for Firewise. Remember the first 5 ft around your home is the most important. Please feel free to reach out if you need additional information.
Rhonda Honeycutt – DMRVFD Firewise
On July 11, 2023, the Smoke in the Mountains organizing committee presented a check for $10,000.00 each to the four Volunteer Fire Departments and the EMS Medic. Thank you to the hard working men and woman who made this event happen. I think I can say for all of us how truly appreciative we are for you hard work.
Tim Edwards – Cherry Creek VFD, Albert Miller – Valentine VFD, Pat Olivas – Fort Davis VFD and Edna Queen – Davis Mt Resort VFD.
From the firemen and board treasurer of the DMRVFD, to the organizing committee for the Smoke in the Mountains event, we can’t thank you enough for all of your hard work in making this event happen. You guys did a phenomenal job! We are truly appreciative for everything you guys did for the first responders in Jeff Davis County.
Edna Queen, Fire Chief, DMPOAVFD, INC.
Thank you to everybody that braved the heat to attend the annual DMRVFD/POA BBQ pot luck. I cannot believe we ate 6 briskets! Thank you to Jonathan T. Clark for your outstanding cooking skills #bestbrisketever! Thank you to my firemen and support team for all your hard work getting things set up, served and cleaned up! Thank you to our community members that stayed to help put everything away! Stand around long enough I will put you to work! To all of the wonderful DMR cooks for your amazing side dishes and desserts! It was all delicious. There is a bowl and a platter in the fire house that belongs to someone. Toi, I believe the platter is yours, it had that amazing fruit and licorice!
Thank you to our amazing community for your generous donations. It is truly appreciated.
Be careful out there it is really hot and will stay that way throughout the week. Keep hydrated, work in the cool of the morning or late in the evening if you can.
Lastly, thank you for all the kinds words on the job we have done throughout the year. I was re-elected Fire Chief with Kevin Honeycutt as my assistant Fire Chief. We will continue to do our best to keep our community safe.
Best wishes,
Edna Queen – DMPOAVFD, INC.
Fire Chief
At the DMPOA Annual Elections on June 24, 2023, the following Board members were reelected: Dale Learish, Jeff Smith, Bill Ghormley, Wretha Smith and Jeff Fisher. Dale will serve as President, Wretha Smith as Vice President, Bill Ghormley as Treasurer and Jeff Fisher as Secretary.
At the DMPOAVFD Annual Meeting, Edna Queen was elected Fire Chief and Kevin Honeycutt will serve as Vice President. Our Fire Department Board will consist of: Rhonda Honeycutt as President, Jan VanLiere as Vice President, Edna Queen s Secretary, Marvin Voiers as Treasurer and Wendi Bates as Member at Large.
As of June 12, 2023, the DMR VFD is now the proud owner of 4 brand new 3000 gallon water tanks. Yay!
Thanks to all of the people involved and to Ed and Wendi for the photos.
When I joined the DMRVFD way back in 2012 as the Board of Directors’ secretary, who knew I would end up where I am today. I made the move to fireman after the 2018 McDannel fire thinking I might be more helpful in that capacity. I was already Support team Coordinator, Highway trash pickup coordinator and de facto event planner. Why not fireman? For as long as I have been part of the department, we have been talking about changing our equipment to better serve the DMR. When I joined, we had one 5 ton from the forest service, a 2000 gallon tender, an old 2.5 ton truck on loan from the Border Patrol, an old Keizer Jeep, an old 1992 Chevrolet Pickup Truck that I am not sure ever saw service and the classic 32 foot Freightliner with a 1000 gallon tank. We soon returned the 2.5 ton to the Border Patrol Patrol because it had an exhaust leak that caused the passengers to get a blinding headache unless you rode with the window open. Then we acquired another military 5 ton. We sold the tender to the POA road crew in 2020 with the provision that in case of emergency we could use it for hauling water for firefighting. We sold the Chevy and then the Keizer Jeep. We were down to 2, 5 tons and the Freightliner that could not be driven to over 3/4 quarters of the locations in the resort because it was just to long. We acquired a UTV from the county and realized we needed to be able to move through community much quicker. We kept saying, “when we sell the Jerry Rhea (ie Freightliner)”, we will buy a brush truck. When we get our Forest Service grant, we will buy a Type 6 fast attack brush truck. Nothing ever happened. I became fire chief at the end of June 2021. The wheels were set in motion before I took office to purchase a new truck for our department. After saving all our pennies from the above sales and donations from the community, we bought a brand-new Dodge 3500, 4 x 4, single cab, fast attack brush truck! It was delivered in September 2021. Fast forward to now. At the beginning of January, we sold the extra 5 ton to one of our firemen. Then after years of saying,”when we sell the Jerry Rhea”, I sold the “the Jerry Rhea” at the end of January. I used that money plus additional funds from the ESD to purchase a “rescue” type fire truck. We bought a 2022 Dodge Super cab, 4 x 4 to use as a rescue, firefighting and crew transport vehicle. I have one more truck on order. If all goes well it will be here at the end of May to mid – June. It’s a 2023, Dodge, 5500, 4 x 4, single cab fast attack fire truck. We are having the slide in built to our specifications. I feel with the addition of these trucks we are now capable of fighting fire anywhere in the resort. We have trucks that are all pretty similar so cross training on them is easy. They are all trucks that anybody can jump in and drive, no intimidation factor of the 5 tons. I am pleased to say we are at last fulfilling the dream of modernizing our department with equipment that is new and not handed down from other places.
Edna Queen
Fire Chief – DMPOAVFD, INC