Centennial Fire Department

This last month the Kaysville Fire Department had its Centennial Celebration. I feel very fortunate to be part of an organization with such a long proud history.

To celebrate we had a banquet at the fire station. We invited anyone who had ever worked for the fire department and their spouses. There was a pretty good turnout, around 200 people showed up, including quite a few old timers, a few of which were pushing 100 years the selves. Kaysville city had it catered and the Farmington Fire Department came out to serve us.

Ariane and myself with Angie and James Wade.

The fire department was officially organized on May 4, 1911. The first piece off firefighting equipment, other than the standard bucket brigade, was a hose cart reel purchased for $75. Similar to the one pictured here. A small shed was placed on the old Relief Society grounds on Main Street to house the hose cart and fire hose.

Their first fire engine was made out of an old Hudson car in 1922. It had a water tank, a pump and a hose. They used this until 1929 when an American LaFrance Pumper truck was purchased, similar to the one pictured here. It was the beginning of a long line of different fire engines and trucks.

The Emergency Medical Service First Responder Program began in 1986. The department did not have an ambulance at this time; it was operated by the Davis County Sheriff’s Office. They would respond to calls and assist the Sheriff’s Department on medicals.

We no longer push a hose cart or build our own fire engines out of old cars. Our station is now a nice state of the art building with five bays that house two engines, one ladder truck, three ambulances, two brush trucks, one heavy rescue truck and a hazardous materials trailer instead of an old shed with one hose cart and 500 feet of hose. We have our own ambulances now and don’t rely on the county to provide one for us. The one thing that hasn’t changed in the last one hundred years is the dedication and bravery of the firefighters.

My engine Company. From L-R My Self (Firefighter Scott Boomer Bredthauer), Captain James (Jimmy) Dotson Jr., Firefighter Keri Harwood, Engineer David Snowball and Firefighter Jared Harvey

Eastern Kentucky University

This week I have started graduate school at Eastern Kentucky University. No, this does not mean that we are moving to Kentucky it’s an on-line program. I am pursuing a master’s degree in Safety, Security and Emergency Management with an emphasis in Fire and Emergency Services. It looks like a pretty good program. I do two classes a semester each running six to eight weeks long, I do one right after the other that way I don’t have to take them concurrently. I should be done in two years.

This will be a really new experience for me. I only took two on-line classes while I was at Weber State, botany and a social work class, and I didn’t take them very seriously. Now to be doing two years worth of nothing but on-line classes will be a real change for me as well as the fact that I haven’t had a college class since 2006. I have some adjusting to do.

I choose this school because I felt that this degree could help me move with Church Security and with the Kaysville Fire Department. I liked the idea of doing a degree on-line so that I could attend class when it was convenient for me.

A little bit about EKU or “Eastern” as the locals call it. It is located in Richmond, KY and was founded in 1906. Its colors are maroon and white and the mascot is the colonel. I think he bears a little resemblance to the Kentucky Fried Chicken guy. They play in the Ohio Valley Conference. Some notable alumni include, Dan Patrick - Sports caster and writer, Laura Kirkpatrick - Runner up of “America's Next Top Model” Cycle 13 and Rex Ryan - Head coach of the New York Jets. I am in good company here.

If all goes as planned in two years I will be receiving my master’s degree in Richmond, KY.

Mothers Day

Mothers Day has become very bitter sweet around our place. Lariann passed away around this time of year two years ago. It still pains me that Lariann is not able to rais her daughter and that Lucy will not really ever know her mother. We went to the cemetery to put flowers on her grave. Araine, Lucy and I each put one flower in the vase at her grave for Mothers Day.

I am very grateful for the time we had together and I still love her so much.

Also this year my Grandmother passed away a few days before Mothers Day. Grandma Nelson was a great lady. We both shared a love for Pepsi. I have so many great memories of spending time with her up in Oakley Idaho and more recently when she came down here to live in Kaysville at an assisted living center for about the last three years. I lived really close so I would try to get over to see hear as often as I could but maybe not as often as I should. Lucy got the chance to get to know Grandma Great, as we called her. I had the wonderful chance to say good bye to her in the hospital the night before she passed away. Before I left the hospital I asked her, “Will you tell Lariann how much I love her and that I miss her?” Grandma looked me and said, “I will”. She was such a great lady and she will be missed.

With this bitter we still have a lot of sweet to be happy for. I have several wonderfull mothers in my life.

My mother in law Carrie, Arianes Mom, is a great lady who loves Lucy like she is one of her own grand children. We didn’t get a chance to see her this mothers day as she is with her son John and his wife Emily who graduated this weekend from college at the University of Northern Colorado.

Her other grandkids call her “Nanny”, but Lucy calls her “Manny” and Carrie thinks it’s hilarious.

My mother in law Lorain who we have great relationship with and still a lot of, Lorain still treats me like I am her son and Ariane is her daughter in law.

It’s really great how wonderful she is with everything, she just as excited as mine and Arianes mothers about our new baby.

My own mother who I know is really hurting these after losing her own Mom but puts on such a brave face for all of us. She is most wonderful Mother I could ask for.

She has given us so much help, support and love. I love her so much and am so grateful for her.


Finally my wife Ariane who I love with all my heart, she is such a great woman. She loves Lucy like she is her own daughter and if you ask her she will tell you that Lucy is her daughter.

I’m so happy to have Ariane in my life. She has made our house a home again and we are so happy to have her.