February 2012

We are into the third month of new year already. Where does the time go. March has come in like a lion so let us hope it goes out like a lamb.

MEMBER REPORT:

The previous month has been a month of loss. The following brothers have passed away:
Chief Kenneth Van Asten passed away on February 9. He retired on February 20, 2004 as Fire 6 at Station 22.
Lieutentant Irving Pfister, passed away on February 14. Irving retired after 39 years with JFRD. The Firefighter’s Fishing Tournament suffered a great with his passing. He had been the daily grill master for luncheon for several years at this event. He was famous for his hot dogs and sausage dogs. He will be greatly missed.
Lieutentant Leon Starling passed away on February 15. Leon retired in 1990 after serving 42 years of service. Leon’s son Curtis Wayne Starling also retired from JFRD. Leon married Lynn whose son, Bob Dover is on the job today.
Lieutenant Glen Milam passed on February 19. Glen retired after 25 years of service from Rescue 42. Glen died in Crescent City, Florida.

The following brothers are home ill : Glen Domen, Frank Bailey, Dale Walters, Joe Gardner, Johnny Hires, Bert Hagen and Billy Sands, John Wright and John Bailey.

Please keep these brothers and their families in you daily prayers.

Arnold Haddock and wife Dorothy moved to Kentucky. After just 17 days
they both got homesick and are now on their way back to Jacksonville.


EVENTS:

RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS BREAKFAST March 8, 2012 at Piccadilly at University and Beach.

30TH FIREFIGHTER’S FISHING TOURNAMENT , March 12 – 16, 2012 in Swaunnee, Florida. This will be the last year for this event to be held at this location. In 2013 it will held in Deland.

REDKNIGHTS MOTORCYCLE CLUB meeting March 13. The club is gearing up and getting ready for their spring trip to Seiverville, TN.

LOCAL 122 monthly meeting. Dinner at 6:00pm., meeting at 7:00.

Our website is a popular site. We have already had 1, 445 hits for 2012.

On February 10 the Association mailed a letter in regards to your 2012 membership dues. Please make sure you have returned your letter with your check. This is for members who are not payroll deducted thru JFCU. As of March 9 on 30 of the 61 letters have been returned.

We welcome our new members: George Ephrem, Billy Harden and Bruce Krause.
 

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.