Sara Stadem | Editor
After 43 years with the Lyons Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) as Chief, Harold Boer has decided to retire. Despite stepping down as Chief, Boer was nominated for the position of 2nd Assistant Chief which he has accepted.
Boer, originally from Rock Valley, IA, moved to Sioux Falls shortly after high school when he started a job putting up billboards. Boer married his high school sweetheart, Helen, in 1974. They were looking for a place to live and ended up choosing Lyons where they raised their three sons and still live today.
In 1975, the Boer’s bought the gas station in Lyons which was called Lyons Garage. “We did the typical stuff at the time, change tires, pump gas, change oil, sell candy bars,” said Boer.
A few years later, Boer recalls there had been several fires in the area which led to the creation of the Lyons Volunteer Fire Department. “The nearest fire department was seven miles away in either direction,” his wife, Helen, stated. So, several residents, including Boer, got together and formed the Lyons VFD.
The founding members included Harold Boer, Vern Boer, Roger Benson, Willie Siemonsma, Jack Higby, Harold Anderson, Rollie Bunde and Todd Bunde with Boer being appointed as Chief. Boer said, “It made sense for me to be Chief since I had the shop and some fabricating equipment. I was also one of the few people that was around all the time in town since we had the shop.”
From there, Boer helped build the first Lyons fire truck out of the Lyons Garage. It was built on an old military Dodge 4×4 Power Wagon and had a slide in pump. The Lyons Garage also built their second truck which was a 1500 gal tender that was built on an old government surplus Chevy chassis. Most of the equipment used was donated by neighboring departments to help Lyons VFD get started.
“The neighboring fire departments were very, very helpful to get us up and going. They helped with training, education and equipment,” Boer explained. “We didn’t have much money when we started so the cooperation of the neighboring fire departments was just super,” he continued.
Boer believes the Lyons VFD fire trucks were what really started the fire truck apparatus. “Neighboring towns asked us if we could help them build one,” Helen said.
After that, the Lyons Garage became Central States which then became Rosenbauer South Dakota, LLC. “It’s interesting that my interest in fire grew into a full-time business,” Boer noted. Both Boer and his wife, Helen, continued to work for both companies that took over. “Since 1975, for 45 years, we have been going to work on the same corner together,” Boer said. Helen has now been retired for about a year and Boer will officially retire from Rosenbauer after the first of the year.
When asked about his more memorable moments as being Chief, Boer said one of the best memories was when Lyons VFD hosted the countywide training. Boer explained about four or five years ago, they hosted the training at the Central Farmers Elevator in Lyons which included all 14 county fire departments, Minnehaha Rescue Squad and Dive Team. The training included simulation disasters where they would practice what they would do in different situations. “We even simulated a vehicle under the water and we had many simulated victims for the ambulance to come take as well,” said Boer. He continued, “Lyons being one of the smaller counties and being able to host a training that size was pretty memorable.”
Boer said even though he has retired as Chief, he is happy to be remaining on the Lyons VFD. “I like driving truck and being able to assist but I’m getting too old to go into the building,” he said. Boer continued, “The 2nd Assistant Chief is more of an honorary position at this time but it gives me the ability to go to the functions for firefighters as I still enjoy doing all those things.”
Josh Schuette will be taking over as Chief and the Lyons VFD roster also includes:
Harold Boer FF and 2nd Assistant Chief
Mike Boer FF, EMR and Secretary Treasurer
Steve Boer FF and Maintenance Officer
Vern Boer FF
Todd Bunde FF
Heather Fox FF and EMT
Jason Fox FF and EMT
Donley Frederickson FF
Justin Hackett FF
Bruce Mork FF
Josh Schuette FF and Chief
Cody Schwartz FF
Paul Siemonsma FF
Jeff Thompson FF
Brett Thoreson FF
Brad Vosburg FF, EMT and 1st Assistant Chief
Nathan Walz FF
“The department has pretty much held their own once it first formed, even when it’s hard to get volunteers,” Helen said. Boer also explained that the Lyons VFD, despite having a population of about 60 people, has been set up as a personal task force to assist other departments on daytime calls for anything west of the interstate. This is because so many firefighters work at Rosenbauer. “When factory workers go home, then we need help as our population is small. It’s wonderful how well all the departments work together on mutual and automatic aid on large incidents. It wasn’t always that way and now departments just help without being asked,” Boer said.
Boer is retiring with many organizations and accomplishments under his belt that include:
-Lyons VFD Chief for 43 years
-EMT for 15 years
-Held the position of Vice President and served on the Board of Directors for the Minnehaha County Chief’s Association
-Served on the Southeastern Firefighters Association Board of Directors
-Held the position of President and served on the Board of Directors for the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association
-Helped the Lyons VFD host the Southeastern District Fire School, Minnehaha County Training and Minnehaha County Chiefs Association Annual Banquet