norman
country-financial
March 29, 2024 7:37 am
Your hometown Newspaper since 1987.
Search
Close this search box.

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL:

Published February 11, 2009

The destruction of the Logandale Chapel by fire last week was a painful loss to more than just the LDS segment of the Moapa Valley. It’s loss truly leaves an empty spot in the very fabric of the community. This historic structure was an important landmark. For 58 years it stood as a center point in the Logandale landscape. It is hard to imagine the central Logandale crossroads without the Logandale Chapel being there.

The building told a story about our community. Its history and its construction contain the blood, sweat and tears of the very root members of Moapa Valley; sacrifices freely offered for the good of the community. The building stood as a symbol of the kind of volunteerism, determination, hard work, faith and community spirit that set this valley apart in its pioneer past; and that still sets it apart today. This difference is less about the Mormon faith or any other specific religious affiliation than it is about the good people of this small community being able to work together to accomplish great things. The loss of the Logandale Chapel as a great symbol of this community difference is acutely felt.

…And speaking of volunteerism: this week also seems an appropriate time to recognize some of our community’s best.

Some have cast aspersions on the local volunteer firefighting squads saying that, as volunteers, they are somehow less competent in their efforts. They have been called ‘weekend warriors’ or ‘play firemen’. But they have shown, again and again, that nothing could be further from the truth!

These men and women are at least as dedicated to their task as their professional urban counterparts. They attend countless hours of training to prepare them for their volunteer efforts. This training is the same training as is received by paid firefighters. It takes just as long, and it is just as hard and rigorous. The only difference is, our volunteers aren’t paid for it.

For a volunteer force, the emergency response time in this community is remarkable. That these people can receive a 4:00 a.m. emergency call while at home in bed, can report in at the fire station and arrive on the scene of a major fire within 20 minutes, ready for action, is truly amazing.

Last year the local volunteer stations responded to over 860 emergency calls. That averages out to more than two calls every day. That is twice a day that some local volunteer drops whatever it is he/she is doing and quickly responds to our emergencies. They aren’t getting paid for that. In fact, they often have to leave what they are being paid for in order to respond and to serve their community. These men and women receive very little recognition. But they quietly and diligently offer themselves and their time whenever they are needed.

These calls may take the local firefighters to various parts of the community and far beyond. The local stations handle emergency calls on I-15 from exit 75 all the way to mile marker 106 on the Mormon Mesa. They frequently run onto the Northshore Road and have been called as far as Callville Bay. That is a huge territory to cover.

These are not weekend warriors! It is time that we recognize that these folks are providing a professional caliber of service to our community. The community owes them a debt of gratitude.

In addition to the rank and file volunteers, we would also recognize the leaders who coordinated the firefighting efforts in last week’s church fire. Chief Russ Cameron and Rural Coordinator Kurt Leavitt, both from the Clark County Fire Department, were at the scene providing leadership and direction and coordinating the efforts of volunteers and professional firefighters alike.

Print This Article:

Share This Article:

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Screen Shot 2023-02-05 at 10.55.46 PM
2-21-2024-fullpagefair
4 Youth Service WEB
2-28-2024 WEB Hole Foods St Patricks
No data was found
2023 WEB BANNER 2 DEFAULT AD whitneyswater
Mesquite Works Web Ad 10-2020
Scroll to Top
Receive the latest news

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

Get notified about new articles