May 2011

The weather across the country has brought death and destruction. We are asking all members to please keep the victims of this tragedies in your prayers.

MEMBER REPORT:

Bob Masculine is still recovering from his knee replacement surgery. Bob injured the same knee and had to go back into the hospital for some fluid drainage. Bob’s wife is also home recovering from a major operation.
Albert Dowling is still recovering at home. He has had two stints placed in the brain to drain fluid. Albert also had a blood clot in his leg.
Rick Ricketson is still going through chemotherapy and is handling the treatment well.
Tom Barton is home and well from his heart surgery. Tom asked that you call him, he enjoys talking to the guys.
Charlie Baxter has recently been in the hospital with bouts of tachycardia. He is home now
Resting.
Levi Starling has to have both rotator cuffs operated on. Levi was known as the working gorilla, Levi says the gorilla is now on his back.
Arnold Haddock, has had an infection at the heart due to the pacemaker. Arnold gives Sid Higginbotham credit for recognizing that he needed another Doctor and recommending his own to Arnold. He is now doing much better and in the Life Care Center at the Crossings in Orange Park. Arnold would like to have phone calls, 278-4025 and the best time time to call is 6am to noon and again at 6pm.
Virginia C. Tankersley, 94, Mother of Richard Tankersley, retired (Sta. 43) passed away on May 13, 2011.
Bettie Jean “Mary” Cowart, widow of “Eddie” Cowart, passed away on May 15, 2011.
Anne Marie Brown, widow of Calvin Brown, passed away on May 13, 2011.

On May 8, 2011 a funeral mass was held for Jessie-Lynne Kerr, mother of Jason Kerr, (Hazmat 21). Jessie-Lynne was honored by Local 122 last year with an Honorary Membership. Not only will Jessie-Lynn be missed by the Times Union she will also be greatly missed by the Fire Department and Local 122.

Harold “Hal” Blanton, retired Lieutenant, (E-10) passed away on May 3, 2011. Hal served 20 years with the department and then went on to work in the State Fire Marshall’s office for 20 years. Hal’s son Donald is a District Chief with the Department and his grandson Jake is Rescue Chief 104.
As always this Association hopes that these people are comforted in their hour of need and that recovery happens quickly.
ACTIVITIES:
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 is Firefighter’s Appreciation Night at the Jacksonville Suns Baseball
Game. Tickets are available at the Union office for $10.00.

The 67th Annual Florida Professional Firefighters Convention will be held June 6-10, at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront. Captain John Long, Chairman has asked the JAXRFA and retired Union members to help with activities during the convention. If you would like to donate some time for this event call Wayne Doolittle at 228-9795 or Linda Treadwell at 210-6799.
 

	On Saturday, May 7, 2011 the Redknights Motorcycle Club left for a trip to Fredericksburg, TX. Leading the pack was the clubs Chaplain, David Ash. It took 3 days to get there. After arriving at the Sunday House Inn in Fredericksburg the motorcycle Enthusiasts rode several beautiful roads in the Hill country of Texas. They started home on Friday, May 13 and got back on Sunday, May 15. The total mileage for the trip was 2,811. Thanks to David for a well planned trip.
	Linda picked up a riding companion midway through the trip. This monkey as an integral part of all activities. Linda and the Monkey were the official timekeepers. When the Monkey says “lets go” it was time to go.
	Need we say anything else?

The President, Wayne Doolittle wants all members to know that as of this newsletter there have been 10 retirees
Passed away and a wreath was sent to each. We also had one active duty Firefighter, Sharon Dyer, and at the request of the family a donation was made to Beltway Animal Hospital in lieu of flowers. Your monthly dues make all this possible.

We are still growing as an Association. Our newest member is George Young, retired from Tact Support.

ATTENTION: A matter concerning the Jacksonville Fire Museum will be in the fore front of the news. Your help will be needed to save our museum.
 

PROFILE: Bill Sallette, 63 years of age. Better known as “Saltine”. Bill got
This name when he was a member of the Morocco Temple Shriners “Funsters”.
 

Bill was born in Jacksonville and raised at 27th and Walnut and graduated from Andrew Jackson in 1965. Bill has one brother , David , who is on Ladder 10 and one sister Lynn married to Grady Sims, retired.

Bill became a firefighter in 1971 and was assigned to Station 15 and his first officer was Lieutenant Joe Blake.

Bill was then assigned to Ladder 18. During this time Bill was transferred for the day to Station 35 which was a
Volunteer Station. Bill worked with John Keane and was told that most firemen did not want to work at a Volunteer Station. After the day at 35 with John Keane, Chief Parrish called and asked Bill if he wanted to go to Volunteer Station 24, as an Engineer. Bill said yes and spent the next 10 years there.

Bill was then transferred to Station 40, another volunteer Station, for 10 years.

Battalion Chief Johnny Hires called Bill with an offer of a new position. There was to be a new ComVan Engineer at Station 1. Bill accepted the position and that was where he finished career, retiring with 34 years of service.

A memory that Bill has of the fire department that he likes to relate is that during his early career the kids in the neighborhood of Station 18 would tie a brick with a string and the weight would cause the alarm box to force the box to continuously go off in the station until the box wound down.

Another memory is the all-service gas mask and how you had to pull the duct tape off the bottom of the canister in order to breathe. Bill states that it was not unusual for a rookie to forget to pull the tape off.

After Bill retired in 2005 he moved to Keystone Heights on the same property as his sister and brother-in-law. It is known as the compound on Lake Geneva.

Bill has a building on his property known as the “juke”. In this building is Bill collections of “stuff”. Bill says that the only difference between men and boys are the price of their toys and he is truly a testament to this.

Bill’s collection includes, fire department, tools, neon signs and metal signs and other collections. One of his biggest collections is his Florida Gator “stuff”.

Bill spends his time now playing golf, b-b-q cook-offs and traveling with his wife, Carol, in their motorhome.

Bill has a son that he is extremely proud of. His son William Sallette, IV is presently serving in the US Army and has
nine years service. After returning from 4 tours of service, Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea and South Africa he was sent to Fort Sills, Oklahoma. William is now serving in the Public Affairs Office for the U S Army. William was working on an article about a young man that had always wanted to be in the Army but was dying of cancer. CNN news picked up the article and William is now well known within the Public Affairs Office.
 

As a teenager of 14, Bill wanted a motor scooter. His father would never allow him to have one. Now at the ripe old age of 63 Bill is the proud own of a 1964 Cushman Eagle. This is his latest addition to his collection of “stuff”. Bill is actively looking for more to buy.

The estimated price tag for Bill’s collection of “stuff” is well over $300,000.00. Now that is some stuff.

Bill’s philosophy is “You don’t have long a time to live, so you better live life to the fullest”.
 

Bill in his Florida Gator t-shirt with his hand on his fire department helmet standing behind the bar of the “juke”. As you can see there is quite a collection.
	Bill sitting on his newest “baby”. He is a proud Papa.
Bill showing off his motor scooter while holding yet another metal sign to ad to his collection.
	Bill is very fastidious about keeping his juke and collection in perfect shape.