Feature
July
21
Conference Brings Firefighters to Houma
by Terry Trahan, Jr.
Firefighters from around the state will converge on Houma this weekend to attend a conference hosted by the Louisiana State Firemens Association.
The association’s 106th conference will bring over 900 people to the Houma area for the first time in about 50 years, said association president Kenneth Pitre about the event, which will be held July 21-23 at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
The conference educates firefighters on new safety developments and seeks to provide practical lessons on improving job performance.
“The whole conference slows it down and teaches what you’re supposed to do,” Pitre said. “It brings a common sense approach to fire service.”
Firefighters will have the opportunity to attend educational sessions on topics like changing firefighting methods, 911 dispatching with the National Incident Management System, arson investigation, submitting reports to the fire marshal, handling legal issues and adjusting attitudes on the job.
As president, Pitre brought the convention to Houma to share his community with other firefighters from Louisiana. Pitre is a district administrator for the Schriever Fire Protection District and serves as chief of the Schriever Volunteer Fire Department. He noted that despite changes in landscape, firefighters from around the state experience similar issues that should be popular topics at the conference.
“I found out that the problems here in Terrebonne Parish are nothing different than those in north Louisiana,” Pitre said.
In addition to the educational sessions, the association’s attending members will also get an up-close look at the refurbished Spirit of Louisiana, a fire truck the citizens of Louisiana donated to New York City in the wake of 9/11.
The association started its Bucks for Trucks program in 2001 and raised $1 million, enough to send the Spirit of Louisiana, two service trucks and six chief vehicles to the metropolitan city in need of support.
“There is a spirit in Louisiana,” Pitre said. “When it comes to something important or devastating, you can count on the people of Louisiana. There’s always a spirit of comeback.”
Conference organizers have also planned a ladies’ program for the firefighters’ significant others.
During the three-day event, the ladies will get the opportunity to experience local culture by taking a swamp tour with Ron “Black” Guidry, and visiting local attractions like the Regional Military Museum, the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum and Southdown Plantation. They will also be entertained by children from the United Houma Nation, and be invited to attend a fashion show hosted by Pat’s of Chauvin.
“We want the [firefighters] to bring their spouses because fire service is family-oriented,” said Susan Saucier, coordinator of the ladies’ program. “We didn’t want them to sit in a hotel room; we want them to see the culture.”
With the anticipated increase in visitors to the Houma area this weekend, civic center director Janel Ricca said her venue is prepared for the crowd and looks forward to welcoming them to the area.
“It’s the biggest conference we’ve ever had,” she said. “We’re ready to go. We just want to make sure the town is prepared and that they have the best experience possible.”
