JAMES R. POPP
(Nominated by Michael Popp)
THE LESTER PRAIRIE CITY HALL
February 26, 2011
My father has been a Firefighter for 26 years in the City of Hutchinson. He joined as a third generation firefighter in 1985 preceding my great-grandfather and grandfather. My father is currently a Battalion Chief with the Hutchinson Fire Dept. In 2001 he left our family electrical business to work for the Fire Dept. full time as the “Fire Inspector” for the city of Hutchinson. He loved his job, especially doing fire prevention work to get kids involved with keeping their families safe; also in 2001 he was made the Commander of the Minnesota Fallen Firefighters Memorial Association, a title of which he still holds today. He also has trained a vast number of firefighters across the state as a State Fire Instructor. He has given everything he has to the fire community and was recently laid off from his job with 15 other people in the City of Hutchinson due to hard Economic times. In my full and honest opinion I don’t think there is anyone more deserving than my own father for this great honor. It would be a great honor for him to be able to do this.
