This is farewell, but not goodbye

Folsom has been home in one way or another since I first set foot within the city limits back in 1993. Sutter Street had trees down the middle of it; the Rainbow Bridge was a primary route from the north side of the river; East Bidwell (previously named Scott Road) was a two-lane road full of potholes; the Folsom Dam provided a neat drive across the top of it; and the newest neighborhoods were "South of Blue Ravine Road." The few portable buildings that made up Folsom Lake College were about the only thing in that area for a long way. We would drive to the top of a narrow road late at night to plot constellations as part of astronomy class, the same road we now call Iron Point. The Bulldogs had a football rivalry with Oak Ridge and my friends were graduates of both schools. One thing that was special about this neat town is that the people were extremely nice. Coming from San Francisco, this place was just different and a place that I've treasured ever since. Wanting to be a firefighter since the age of seven, never would I have imagined that someday I would lead the Folsom City Fire Department as its fire chief. I clearly remember the days when Fire Chief RB Welch and Assistant Chief Bill Murdock led the department from 48 Natoma St. Along with future Fire Chief Eric Dutton and Captain Tim McAndrew, they and the rest of the command staff led the proud department that had been serving the Folsom community since March 3, 1857. Many of the greats would serve the department over the next few decades, including Firefighters (or Officers): Llewellyn, Norman, Spence, Cross, Wilkins, Alfsen, Keables, Auker, Connelly, Moreno, Worthington, Wycoff, Howard, Kuykendal, Gedstad, Keller, Tambor, Fujimoto, Haverty, Woo, Mata, Fletchall, Piacentini, Wilson and the next Fire Chief, Ken Cusano. Little did I know that as I would drive past the fairly new Fire Station 38, would I get to carry on the tradition that the many had firmly set years prior. A true honor! Now that the department has grown to 77 members, serving a community of over 81,000 people through five fire stations, four fire engines, one fire truck, three ambulances, and five admin/prevention personnel, the torch must be carried on and held high as the city continues to grow. The quality of life of the residents, business community, visitors, and employees, mentioned across every mission statement is dependent upon the altruistic service provided by Folsom's finest. As I open up what is likely the final chapter of my fire service career in Elk Grove and Galt, I do so with excitement for the future and with fond memories of my service to the Folsom community. When recently asked, "What legacy will you leave behind?" I answered, "It's not the additional ambulance in American River Canyon or the additional fire station in Empire Ranch or the new fire engines and equipment or the Emergency Operation Center training or the updated plans for disaster preparedness or the goals and objectives to accomplish a Strategic Plan; it's the relationships created with the Fire Department's personnel, the city's staff and the community." It's the partnerships. It's the "how can we get this done attitude." It's the smile on the other person's face. It's the lights strung across Sutter Street. My greatest memory will most definitely be the people. Felipe Rodriguez has been Folsom's Fire Chief since summer 2017. Beginning next week, he begins his new chapter as fire chief of the Cosumnes Fire Department.