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Lawrence Ruff Named 2006 NVFC Volunteer Firefighter of the Year
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| Lawrence Ruff (right) won the 2006 NVFC Volunteer Firefighter of the Year Award. Joe Guyotte (left), Chair of the NVFC Membership and Awards Committee, presented Chief Ruff with a pin and trophy during the awards ceremony on October 21. |
In addition to receiving the NVFC Award, the Kansas State Firefighters Association (KSFFA) also honored Chief Ruff during the ceremony. Ruff has served as the chief of the Logan (KS) Fire Department since 1962 and is active in the KSFFA. “Anybody who can accomplish what Chief Ruff has done in a lifetime is amazing,” said Joe Guyotte, Chair of the NVFC Membership and Awards Committee. “He took a department that had nothing and turned it around 100 percent. He did an outstanding job.”
Chief Ruff has a long and distinguished history in the fire service. He joined the Logan Fire Department in 1960 and was appointed Fire Chief in 1962. At that time, the city had a 1936 Ford fire truck, an alarm whistle, no turnout gear, and little else. The department, charted in 1912, needed to be re-charted right away. Chief Ruff immediately set to work to accomplish this.
Under the leadership of Chief Ruff, the department ordered their first new truck and turnout gear in 1964. The following year, they organized a rural fire district covering four townships and ordered two new fire trucks. The department soon built a larger fire station, and the growth did not stop there. The district enlarged in 1975 to include another full township and part of three more townships, and again in the 1980s to include two more townships and a second fire station. The department currently has nine trucks on line.
In addition to his 46 years of service with the Logan Fire Department, Chief Ruff has served as the Kansas Director for the NVFC and is currently the Alternate Director from that state. He served as the Phillips County Director of Emergency Preparedness for 10 years and also has thousands of hours teaching as an instructor, including at the Kansas State Firefighters Regional Fire School and at Kansas State University.
Chief Ruff’s lifelong service and achievements have led him to receive many awards, including the 2005 V.F.W. Kansas Firefighter of the Year and letters of recognition from members of Congress, Kansas governors, and state fire marshals. He was recognized by Kansas State Senate Resolution No. 1867 for his work to educate all Kansans about fire safety and preparedness. Under his leadership, the Logan Fire Department has received three Life Safety Achievement Awards given in the state for 0 deaths and for public safety programs.
Chief Ruff has been married to his wife, Ruby, for over 48 years. They have two children, both of whom have been firefighters. He is the Commander of the Post for the Logan American Legion, a member of the Logan Chamber of Commerce, a founding member of the Logan Lions Club, and has coached Little League and girls softball.
The NVFC Volunteer Firefighter of the Year Award, sponsored by Scott Health and Safety, is a lifetime achievement award meant to honor individuals whose remarkable achievements in the fire service and community exemplifies outstanding performance. The award is given annually during the NVFC Fall Board Meeting. The NVFC’s prestigious awards program also includes the NVFC Fire Prevention Award, which is presented each spring to a volunteer firefighter who exemplifies the philosophy of fire prevention. For more information about the NVFC and these awards, visit www.nvfc.org.
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