Support for fire department overwhelming

Behind the badge

What a great time in history to be a police officer.

I am a police officer for the city of Bentonville. My mother, Barb, and my cousin, Eric, are police officers for the city of Bella Vista. My dad was a police officer for more than 30 years.

I just received a text from my mother saying "Bomb squad headed to BVPD. Supposed to be a bomb in the lobby!"

My first thought? We are so used to the threat of the job that I get a text pretty much saying "hey btw..." and it's just another day at the job.

There are no frantic phone calls. Bentonville bomb squad is enroute to Bella Vista. And I bet if you could hear the phone call asking for assistance while this is all going on inside the police station it is a calm one. Doing what has to be done. Even though there may be a bomb under their noses.

Are we surprised? Not at all. We are targets. Because of our badge.

How many of my friends wake up in the morning getting ready for work and put on gear that is made to stop a bullet? Gear that is made to save our lives when someone tries to take it? How many wake up and think, "Today I could be shot, stabbed, run over, or even blown up."

How many of you would still go to work? My family does. My family by blood and badge. Every one of them. They will tomorrow, as well as every day after. Until their watch is ended.

The world has gone to hell, and something has to change.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" Matthew 5:9. Today we are peacemakers. Not peace keepers. Stay safe brothers and sisters.

We know who has our back.

Colin Shrum

Bella Vista

Support for fire department overwhelming

We take great pride in the fact that so many came to celebrate the opening of our fourth fire station in the Highlands gate area. We are honored to continue to serve such a city.

We dedicated the station on Thursday, July 7, and officially opened the station following the open house on Saturday, July 9. Both events were well attended, and we enjoyed sharing our accomplishment with our community.

We would like to acknowledge those individuals and groups who helped make the opening of this station a success. Pastor Mark Voll of Village Bible Church gave a heartfelt invocation at our dedication, and the members of his church baked and brought more cookies and coffee than even a department of firefighters could eat or drink.

We also would like to thank Jan and Bruce Burgess and Linda and Paula with Concordia Retirement Community for the two delicious cakes at the dedication ceremony and the open house.

The Forest Hills Church brought yummy goody bags for the personnel and also took a tour of the new facility.

On Saturday, July 9, we held an open house for the community to come meet our personnel and tour their new facility. Arvest Bank provided lunch, and Coca-Cola made sure no one went thirsty. Thanks also to Bank of the Ozarks for providing snow cones, which may have drawn more of a crowd than the station itself.

There is consistently an outpouring of generosity from the members of this community toward their fire and emergency medical personnel. We feel grateful each day to provide fire and medical services here, doing a job we love in a place we love. The opening of this station will only help us continue to provide that service, and work at standards you can continue to expect from us.

Thank you again for your continued appreciation and support of the Bella Vista Fire Department.

Sincerely,

Fire Chief Stephen Sims