Bob Brown Leaves a Good Legacy, But the Arrowhead Needs Help
Arrowhead Regional Firefighters' Association President Bob Brown has made it known that he won't be seeking re-election. Bob says his new duties as the vice president of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs' Association are taking up his time and he wants to concentrate more on that position. Bob is willing to take the vice president's position with the Arrowhead and that is a good thing. Whoever ends up in the president's slot will have a lot of work ahead of them and Bob's help in the transition will be needed.
Bob Brown did a pretty good job as president. I didn't agree with everything he talked about, but I know that his heart was always in the right place and he really cares about the firefighting profession. Bob is a professional and he will do well with the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs' Association. And, he will also make a good president for that organization when he moves to that position.
However, we can't ignore the fact that the Arrowhead organization is in trouble. Attendance at meetings is way down and efforts to bolster turnout really haven't worked. I hear other regional associations are having the same trouble and so it really raises the question about the viability of keeping these groups together. Or, are there other avenues which should be explored? In northeastern Minnesota, we have a number of active groups that seem to be doing things. I am astounded at the success of the Lakehead Fire Departments and Mutual Aid Association. They hold their meetings on a Friday night and the meetings are packed. They get things done and in a big way. The organization has knocked down needed funding to build a state of art radio system. They are holding mutual aid drills. They are one active group and I'm impressed. The Itasca County Fire Chiefs is another prime example of a group that is making things happen. They operate a burn trailer, which provides valuable training to area departments. They are working with the sheriff's department and other agencies in developing what will be Minnesota's first countywide rural 800 MHZ radio system. Wow!!
The answer to the success of groups like the Lakehead and Itasca may be in the fact that they are producing tangible results for their members. In this day and age of limited budgets and funding cutbacks, the real "meat" of any organization seems to be in getting funding, developing projects and obtaining equipment for member departments. The various regional associations, like the Arrowhead, aren't really doing that. Instead, they have become basically discussion groups where information is shared and communicated to the members. Let's face it, with today's modern electronic communications, we can share vital information and gather opinions through the internet and other sources. And, we still have viable organizations such as the Minnesota Fire Department Association and the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs' Association in which to share ideas, form action plans and legislatively be a force to be reckoned with. We also have regional representatives who sit on the boards of these two groups allowing our thoughts and concerns on the fire service to be expressed to the proper state and federal officials.
Perhaps it is time to really look at the role and function of the Arrowhead Regional Firefighters' Association and see where this organization fits into northeastern Minnesota's fire service network. Does it still have a place? Or, can other groups, such as the Lakehead Fire Departments and Mutual Aid Association, Itasca County Fire Chiefs' Association, or various fire department coalitions fill the bill? These are the questions which the new president of the Arrowhead Regional Firefighters' Association and his or her executive board really need to look at. The dwindling attendance and lack of participation at meetings are signs and symptoms that there is a problem. The key will be to find out how the association can be revived or allowed to sunset. I would invite your opinion in this vital discussion. More importantly, you should be talking to the other members who belong to the association. After all, the fate of the organization is really in the hands of the members.