Jefferson County Firefighters Association leaders expect 800 or more firefighters from around the state to visit Festus during the first weekend of May for the 2014 Fire Fighters Association of Missouri convention.
The convention is set to take place Friday through Sunday, May 2-4. Activities are scheduled to take place at the Festus Best Western, 1200 W. Gannon Drive, as well as some other nearby sites.
Randolph Mantooth
The guest speaker at the convention banquet the evening of May 3 will be actor Randolph Mantooth, who played paramedic/firefighter Johnny Gage from the 1970s TV show “Emergency!”
The banquet is only open to FFAM members, but JCFA President Bill Haggard said Mantooth will make a public appearance at 10 a.m. for about an hour that day at Books Galore, 411 W. Main St., Festus. He will have photos from “Emergency!” for sale and personalized authographs. He will sign other items brought by fans with some restrictions.
Haggard, who is chief of the Herculaneum Fire Department, said the public is invited to watch firefighter games and a fire engine parade during the day May 3. Mantooth is expected to ride in the parade.
The firefighter games are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at the Home Depot lot, 1131 W. Gannon Drive, Festus. The games will be similar to those held during the annual Jeffco Fire Engine Rally in Herculaneum.
“The length of the games depends on how many sign up for them,” Herculaneum Fire Department Capt. Kevin Baker said. “It could last several hours, depending on the number of entrants.”
The parade forms at Festus Middle School on the west side of the city. It begins at 2 p.m., running along Main Street and ends at Brierton Lane.
The purpose for the convention is for the state’s firefighting community to share ideas and camaraderie, Festus Fire Chief Chuck Boyer said.
“There will be conferences, classes, industry exhibits and booths,” he said. “It brings together firefighters from all over Missouri.”
Haggard said state firefighter conventions have come to the county several times in the past.
“Jefferson County has hosted FFAM conventions in 1964 and 1996, and now this one," Haggard said. "The city of Festus hosted one in 1987 as part of its Centennial celebration."
For more information, visit the FFAM website at ffam.org or the Jefferson County Firefighters Association website at jeffcofire.org or call Haggard at 314-852-4964.