DEVILS LAKE, N.D. – The senior officers of the Devils Lake Fire Department were honored with plaques commemorating their years of service to the community. Fire Chief Nate Bennett received his plaque on Saturday, March 14, while Asst. Fire Chief Cory Meyer received his plaque at the Devils Lake City Commission meeting on Monday, March 16.
City Commissioner Jason Pierce had planned to present the plaques to both men at the dinner, but Meyer was unable to attend. “I got to embarrass him up there,” Pierce said with a smile to Meyer while presenting him with his award, “but since you weren’t there, you got to do it this way.”
Pierce acknowledged their devotion to the fire department and their community. “Like I said to Nate (on Saturday), you and him both have to put up with a lot,” Pierce added. “And a lot of people don’t know the amount that you have to deal with, but I very much appreciate the job that you do, and this plaque says it’s in honor of your years of dedication to the Devils Lake Fire Department and service to the city’s residents.”
Mayor Jim Moe said, “I’d like to congratulate Chief Bennett, also, and Chief Meyer for their hard work and dedication to the city, too. Thank you.”
The plaques were a complete surprise to both men. Bennett received his at the DLFD’s annual love feast on Saturday. “(It’s) an event that we put on for our wives, basically, for putting up with us for a year, and Pierce gave me mine at the love feast,” Bennett said on the morning of Tuesday, March 17.
“It’s like Jason said last night at the meeting,” Bennett added. “There’s a ton of stuff that we deal with, that nobody really sees, which is fine. That’s our job, and any firefighter you’re going to talk to, when they get awards like that, they’re like, ‘It’s our job,’ … but it’s an honor.”
“It’s not something you expect,” he said. “You’re just trying to do your job and doing as best you can, … (but) you don’t do it for the plaque.”
“It’s what we’re supposed to do,” Bennett added. “Always nice to get rewarded for doing the right thing.”
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