WOODFORD COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS HONORED Gary Curd for his 50-plus years of service as a volunteer firefighter. From left are Eric Hysell, Ken Hagan, Chris Kraus, Brandon Rue, Alex Cheak, Robert Hall, Chief Melvin Montgomery, Trevor Skipper, Curd, Assistant Chief Terry Agee, Kevin Wilson, retired Chief John Varner, Scott Spencer, Cody Simpson, Jacob Rand, Anthony Vhenault, Raymond Slusher and Ethan Curd, Gary’s son. (Photo submitted)
The Woodford County Fire Department honored Gary Curd for his 50-plus years of service as a volunteer firefighter on Oct. 23. Curd retired on July 31, but he did not want to have a celebration honoring him for his service, Fire Chief Melvin Montgomery said.
“That’s the thing about volunteer (firefighters, they) … don’t do it to be recognized and he didn’t want that,” Montgomery said.
So following the funeral for Firefighter Orville Coyle on Oct. 23, Montgomery asked Curd to stop by the station because “I’ve got something I need to give you.” That’s when Curd was given a plaque honoring him for five decades of service.
Curd was a volunteer at Station 3 in Nonesuch, where he lived “all this life,” Montgomery said. Curd’s knowledge of the area and knowing the people who live there “makes a world of difference” when firefighters are responding to a structure fire or other emergencies in that area, he said.
So Montgomery said he’s thankful Gary’s son Ethan is a volunteer firefighter who also knows the area and people.
The Woodford County Fire Department has eight fulltime firefighters, Montgomery said, so “without volunteers you wouldn’t have a fire department. That’s how valuable they are to you.”
Station 1 on Big Sink Pike is manned by fulltime firefighters, but the other five Woodford County Fire stations only have volunteers, he said.
“They do it because they want to do it,” says Montgomery of his 43 volunteer firefighters. Because of fulltime jobs and busy family lives, he said fewer people can dedicate time to serving as volunteers.