FEBRUARY 2012 PROFILE: RETIRED CAPTAIN BILLY SANDS, 68 YO, RETIRED FROM STATION 9.

 

From the 1973 Yearbook Engineer BR Sands	From the 1995 yearbook Captain Billy R. Sands

Profile: Retired Captain Billy Sands, 68 Years Old, Retired from Station 9

Billy went to work at the age of 11 selling Krispy Kreme Donuts door to door. At the age of 12 he delivered papers for the Times Union. At the age of 13 Billy worked as a stock boy for Winn Dixie on Lem Turner Road. Billy is still working today, even with serious health problems, but hasn’t missed a day of work yet.

Billy grew up in Lakeforest and attended Ribault High School. Billy graduated in 1961.

After graduation, Billy met his wife Annette Smith on a blind date. Even though Annette attended Andrew Jackson they dated and soon married. They just celebrated 50 years of marriage this past May.

Late in 1961 Billy joined the Air Force and served 4 years. He joined the Air National Guard at the Jacksonville International Airport and retired after 20 years as a Crash Firefighter and Chief.

During his enlistment the Sands were blessed with a son in 1963, Matthew P Sands. Matt became a Doctor of Dentistry and has offices in Folkston and Kingsland, Georgia. Billy and Annette also have a daughter Dana O’Quinn. She was born in1967 and is the Assistant to the Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia.

Billy joined the JFRD in 1967 and was assigned to Engine 2. Billy made Engineer and transferred to Station 36, made Lt. and transferred to Station 33 and then transferred back to his beloved Station 2. Billy had a real love for firefighting in the Springfield area.

Captain Sands is the author of the term “Springfield Deuce”. This term remains the phrase for Station 2 today. He was known to play a recording of the theme song to the show "The Lone Ranger" over the P.A. on engine 2 when heading out on a call.

In 1986, Captain Sands designed a belt buckle depicting Engine 2, to commemorate the 75th year anniversary of the department. Captain Sands had to petition the Rules and Regulations Committee to change the uniform requirements so it could be worn as part of the official uniform. These buckles were sold and the profits, over $6,000.00 were donated to the Jacksonville Fire Museum. That was quite an undertaking with great results by Captain Sands.

Captain Sands has a brother, Captain Gary Sands, (is 7 years his junior) who is also retired.

Captain Sands was always a mentor for young firefighters. Bill Langley was a volunteer firefighter at Station 34. When he joined JFRD, Bill was assigned as a private at Station 2, and later became Captain. Captain Sands surely left a legacy at Station 2.


The Springfield Community Center added, at Captain Sands request, Station 2 to the Springfield Parade of Homes and Historical Buildings. Captain Sands was able to enlist the services of all members of his station to decorate the Station for this event. There were repairs to the station by Chief Danny Ingle to ensure that the Station showed well during the parade.

When Captain Sands moved to Folkston, Georgia in 1974, he was appointed Chief of Police in Homeland, Georgia and held that position for 3 years. He was a part-time Police Officer in Folkston for several years. He is presently serving as the Municipal Court Judge for Homeland.

In 1996, the Judicial Circuit of Superior Court for South Georgia appointed Captain Sands as Associate Judge for Charlton County Magistrate Court. He later ran for the position of Chief Magistrate Judge and was successfully elected. For the next 8 years he has held this position giving him a total of 16 years on the bench. He will be retiring from the bench in December of 2012.

As everyone knows Captain Sands collects cowboy memorabilia. His biggest collection is of Roy Rogers. Billy became friends with Roy Rogers’ grandson, Dustin Roy Rogers. They remain friends to this day. Dustin introduced Billy to his grandfather at which time Billy received autographs from Roy. Dustin was a volunteer firefighter in Apple Valley and that is how the two met.

In 1999, Judge Sands invited Dustin to be the Grand Marshall of the Okefenokee Festival Parade. Billy bought a golden Palomino and named him Trigger. He bought a silver embellished saddle that had been ridden by (believe it or not) Bill Langley’s grandfather in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena.
 

Judge Sands doing his job at the new court house in Folkston.	L to R Dustin Rogers, Julie Rogers, Annette Sands and Billy Sands in Folkston Georgia.
Billy Sands shaking Roy Rogers hand.	Billy standing at the entrance to the Roy Rogers ranch.
Roy Rogers grandson Dustin at Billy Sands home.	Dustin Roy Rogers as the Grand Marshall in the Okefenokee Swamp Festival Parade at Folkston Georgia.
The Roy Rogers tribute restroom at Billy Sands home.	Some real Roy Rogers memorabilia. Pants and shirt.