X

This month’s featured volunteer firefighter is Mike Petrik. Mike has been a member of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department for the past 23 years. Mike does not come from a long-line of firemen, but him getting involved in the fire department inspired his four sons to become volunteer firefighters as well. Mike first became a volunteer firefighter in the Black Hills during his high school years. After moving to the Avon area, he soon realized that he missed being a part of the brotherhood that a fire department provides as well as fighting fires. For Mike, qualities that are important for a fire fighter to possess are compassion, willingness to learn, the ability to be a part of a team, as well as the confidence to step into a leadership role when it is needed. As a member of the Avon Fire Department, Mike has played a very active role in the department’s activities including attending state fire school, monthly department trainings, local community trainings, annual Community Appreciation Nights, water fights and Toys for Tots deliveries. When asked what he feels are the most important duties of a firefighter, Mike said ensuring public safety and educating the children and community in the ways of fire safety. Mike currently holds the position of 2nd Assistant Chief, a position that he has held for several years on the department. Being a firefighter has definitely had an influence on Mike and his perspective on life and family. After experiencing accidents, tragedies, and fires he has come to value and appreciate his family and the time that they have together. Mike is a very active department member when it comes to attending and being a part of trainings that are offered. He regularly attends the monthly meetings that have a training component to them as well as makes a point to attend the annual South Dakota Fire School. Mike is even certified as a wildland firefighter. To become certified in wildland firefighting, there are several classes and training that is required. Firefighter Training, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service, Introduction to the Incident Command System and Introduction to the National Incident Management System are the required courses that are needed to become a wildland firefighter in South Dakota. A person must also be able to pass a backpack test which involves hiking a three-mile course while carrying a backpack that gradually increases in weight. Annual recertification is needed by taking a refresher course as well as being able to pass the backpack test. A few things that the community may not realize about what is required of being a volunteer firefighter are the number of hours of training and dedication that are needed to be a properly trained department every year with another aspect being that they have to leave their families at a moment’s notice to go to a call, sometimes with those calls coming during holidays and family celebrations. In addition to being on the fire department, Mike has been an active member of the Avon community in several other ways including serving as the Avon mayor for three years and holding a position on the city council for several years prior to his term as mayor. Mike is married to his beautiful wife, Mellissa, and the couple have four married sons all with families of their own. Their children have blessed the couple with eight amazing grandchildren. Mike works for Aztec in Yankton where they work on welding and assembling rock crushing machinery. In his free-time, Mike enjoys hunting, fishing, camping and gardening. Thank you, Mike, for your dedication and service to the Avon community