Firefighter convention ablaze in Bentonville
Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2008
BENTONVILLE - A ball of flames rising high above three cars that looked as though they had spent the past month in a smoker. Emergency personnel tearing the roof off of another car a few feet away. Fire trucks, giant hoses, ladders, ambulances and more scattered across an open field and two nearby parking lots.
If you only caught a glimpse of what was going on at the Rainbow Curve section of South Walton Boulevard on Saturday morning, you may have thought about pulling over and taking cover. But then the roar of applause added another layer of shock and confusion to the mix.
In the end, there was no danger. No reason for alarm or to take cover. It was simply the kind of scene you get when more than 350 firefighters representing more than 70 fire departments and emergency response units from across the state get together.
The Clarion Hotel and Convention Center, located on Rainbow Curve, played host to the 2008 Joint Fire Chief and Firefighter Convention. The convention, which calls a different Arkansas community home each year, began Thursday in Bentonville and continues through this morning.
"This is an event firefighters everywhere look forward to each year," said Bald Knob Fire Chief Danny Holobaugh, whose been fighting fires for more than 30 years. "You have people from every corner of the state, so some of these people I only get to see once a year. It's a lot of fun getting together like this, because you know everyone here does the same thing - we speak the same lingo.
"The best part is seeing all the new equipment and the latest of everything that's out there on the market. I've been doing this a long time, but everything changes so fast. We're always talking about what new stuff to buy for the department, but when you come here, you really get to compare and try it out. It's all here."
The name badges hanging from lanyards around the necks of those in attendance was a who's who of Arkansas firefighting and emergency services. There were representatives form Yellville, Rogers, Pine Bluff, Farmington, Prater, Monticello, Summit, Bentonville and beyond. About 100 vendors sporting everything form the latest fire trucks, ladders, oxygen tanks, boots, headgear and other protective equipment showed off their goods.
In an open field beside the Clarion, demonstrations have been doing on for the better part of three days. Cars have been torched to demonstrate the effectiveness of new foam extinguishing formulas and extrication devices. Guest speakers form across the region have spoken and old friends have been reacquainted with one another.
"I've heard so much about this foam device, but I've never actually seen it demonstrated in person," Holobaugh said. "That was something."
While the majority of firefighters and emergency personnel took mental notes during demonstrations and lectures, a steady trickle of visiting firefighters managed to find their way over to the new Bentonville Central Fire Station, which opened earlier this month on Southwest A Street.
"The one thing everyone has commented about is the little museum we have set up in the new station," Bentonville firefighter Todd Pearce said. "People form all over the state have come through to check out our new facility. There are a lot of communities upgrading or building new stations, and everyone takes note of the little things they would incorporate. Our museum seems to be a hit."
The outdoor action at the convention wrapped up Saturday afternoon. The convention itself, however, wraps up with a breakfast and a series of meetings at the Clarion this morning.
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