Rick Bronson believes in giving a big hand up.
The retired firefighter and EMS director remembers chasing chickens for dinner as a youngster, then sitting down with the folks for a great meal on a nice Sunday afternoon in McDonald County.
When he was eight years old, however, his favorite uncle perished in a house fire. His grandfather was severely burned.
"It leaves an impact on an 8-year-old," he said. "In 1964, there was no one to call. There wasn't a 911 system."
That event left an indelible impression on young Bronson, who described the Sunday dinners "after the fire," as very different.
Bronson, who lives in Grove, Okla., devoted his entire career of 42 years to serve others as a firefighter in the Air Force and after his time in the service, and as an EMS director, among career highlights.
He has long wanted to give a hand up to the neighbors in McDonald County who put their lives on the line to help others. But he felt a particular urging about six months ago. On a trip to Branson, he took the back roads and began to think more about helping out.
"I was driving these roads and wanted to do something nice for those who take care of the old neighborhood," he said.
He did just that Monday night, with a $38,880.80 check, along with two new defibrillators, at the White Rock Fire Station.
Each White Rock Fire Department station will receive a new defibrillator. The check will be used to purchase eight self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighters. Four will go to each station.
"I'm giving you some tools to help keep your citizens alive and to keep you alive," Bronson said, who added he was making the donation in honor of the Flager family.
Several firefighters shook Bronson's hand and thanked him. Joe Lahr thanked him and presented him with a plaque.
White Rock firefighters, board members and some family members were on hand for the presentation, including Bronson's mother, Betty Flager Bronson, and his sister, Beth Bronson, who traveled from Joplin.
Mrs. Bronson, who grew up in McDonald County, said she has a "generous son," who told her he wishes this type of equipment could have saved his uncle and helped his grandfather in that terrible fire decades ago.
She said, however, that the tragic event unfolded when her brother, Dean, who had epilepsy, went into a seizure. When her father went to get him out of the window, his seizure propelled him to fall back into the fire, she said.
After the presentation, Bronson said volunteer firefighters provide the community a real service.
"These guys are here to take care of this community. They work late, they work all night. They have other jobs. Even when they've been fighting a fire all night, they're going to show up on time the next morning to work."
General News on 02/23/2017