President's Welcome Letter
Jonathan Ransom
HVFD President
Welcome to the Hyattsville Volunteer. I am proud to present and
feature the tireless efforts of the Volunteer Fire Department, serving our
community for 108 years.
As I began to think about what I might write to you, I began to realize
that a letter would be insufficient to communicate all that I want you to
know about Hyattsville Volunteers. I want you to know our plans to rebuild
the station for the future, replace the ladder truck that was first placed
in service in 1989, and the many other activities that have and will benefit
the communities we serve. Every hour of every day there are volunteers;
your neighbor or maybe a family friend; risking their lives in service to
the community, providing fire and
rescue services.
What is this volunteer spirit? Who are these people that come to your aid
every day of every year, and why do they volunteer? These questions and
many more have been answered in these pages by citizens such as yourself
that have come to the volunteer fire department, to share in a community
spirit of volunteering.
The Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department has established an ambitious agenda
for 1996 and 1997. Our goal to replace the old ladder truck we now operate
will become a reality in mid October, shortly after the Fire Prevention
Week and Open House. As we await the new ladder truck arrival, we are also
saddened as we remember those volunteers whose lives were lost in service
to the community.
Fallen Firefighter Alan P. Sondej, a volunteer, died as a result of injuries
sustained in a fire and our ladder truck bears a plaque to his memory and
dedication to the truck company operations; the fire search and rescue responsibilities
he worked so hard to master.
Our design for a replacement station is ongoing. It creates another opportunity
for us to meet the needs of our community as well as the fire service.
Additional living quarters, meeting room areas for community and fire department
groups are anticipated. Study areas for members in high school and college,
as well as office space to accommodate a satellite Police station are all
within our new design. We hope that our new home will become a facility
within the community that enhances our ability to be of service in your
time of need.
As municipal and county funding levels are continually being stretched,
we have indeed taken a financially ambitious course. Funds that were previously
available through county purses, for items such as small tool repair and
building or apparatus repair, are smaller and may be soon nonexistent.
We are having to review what funding for apparatus replacement we have and
consider how to maintain a balance between the daily operations and long
term apparatus replacement needs. We continue to appreciate the support
that we have long enjoyed from the community.
Your support of the Fire department whether during open house or a family
photo fundraiser has continued to be a mainstay of our service and our heartfelt
thanks goes out to each of you.
I hope that you enjoy this newspaper and will share it with family, friends
and colleagues. Our volunteer spirit is catching. Come join us and share
the spirit.
Jonathan Aaron Ransom serves as the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department
President and currently is the President of the Prince George's County Volunteer
Fire and Rescue Association. President Ransom joined Hyattsville in 1978
and is a life member.
Click to E-mail Jonathan Ransom at
jransom@ibm.net
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Comments, Suggestions or Questions? E-Mail davehvfd@wam.umd.edu
Updated 4/16/96