NEAFC 32nd Annual Conference.pdf - New England Association of ...

~NEW ENGLA2qD ASSOCIATION O1~ FIRE CHIEFS
Chief Cote, one of our old stand-by men, and Director from the State
of Rhode Island.
Chief Oliver Sanborn, another old stand-by, of Portland, Maine.
Chief Andrew Palmer, our Press Representative.
And now, will the wives and friends, of the officers just introdtlced at this
head table please rise. (Applause.) "
And we have, of course, our good friends of this. Association, Mr. and
Mrs ~. Smith, and young Jimmie Smith. (Applause.)
We are also honored with the presence of Mrs. Hu~h ~Gregg, wife of the
Governor of the Staee df New Hampshire! (Applause.)
And we have another table down here, consisting of the Past-Presidents
of this Association, and their lovely ladies. (Applause.)
It is, indeed, a pleasure and an honor to have with us here this evening
the President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, who has been
a very good worker for this Association for many years. We are very proud
to have him with us, and it gives me a great deal of pleasure to present to you
now, Chief Henry Thomas, President of the International Association of Fire
Chiefs.
CHIEF HE~XlRY THOMAS, President of the International Association of
Fire Chiefs. President Fortier, Father Collins, Reverend Mr. Fitzsimmons, Your
Excellency, the Governor of New Hampshire, Hugh Gregg, and Honored Guests,
Past Presidents, and members of the New England Association of Fire Chiefs,
and Friends.
It is my privilege to be here with you tonight, and. it is. a privilege for
which I am very grateful that the Lord has. permitted me to be a-ble to attend
this 32nd Annual Conference of the New England Association of Fire Chiefs..
And I am also privileged to bring to you the greetings of your International
Association of Fire Chiefs.
This has been, as Father Collins. has already said, another delightful Conference.
It also has been instructive and the Chiefs and their assistants have
very nearly finished the technical sessions, and I am very, very certain thal~
they have acquired mat~y ideas in their exchanges, both in the program and
their discussions between each other in the lobbies, of the hotel, and I am sure
that each and every one of us will return to our respective communities a little
better fitted to carry out our responsibilities in providing for our protection
for our respective communities.
New England has always had a most delightful Conference ever since
that first one in 1923, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Throughoutthe country,
I have been asked many, many times about the New England Conference, and
particularly Mr. and Mrs.. Smith and young Jimmie at the Wentworth, here,
for your fame has spread far and wide. The Fire Chiefs of the nation like you
as well as the New England group does. (Applause.)
I have, also, the happy assignment this evening, and I am very proud and
quite humble in accepting this assignment, for the New England has always
had an outstanding convention, and this. group has always gained from the
various Conferences with ~ the good fellowship and camaraderie found in the
various conventions held in New England, and especially J~or the last nine years
2’49