By order of the Governor of the State of Missouri, U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at all government buildings in Washington County, the Firefighter Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and fire houses statewide on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, from sunrise to sunset in honor of Belgrade Firefighter James Dale Jenkins.
State government departments are responsible for distributing this information throughout your department for compliance with this order. You can find the proclamation from the Governor here.
WHEREAS, James Dale Jenkins dedicated his life to serving the State of Missouri and the United States as a member of the U.S. Army and the Belgrade Volunteer Fire Department; and
WHEREAS, from April 1966 to April 1968, Mr. Jenkins served honorably as a member of the U.S. Army, including service in Vietnam during the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, in 1970, Mr. Jenkins joined the Belgrade Volunteer Fire Department, beginning more than 50 years of service to his community; and
WHEREAS, during his more than one-half century of service to the Belgrade Volunteer Fire Department, Mr. Jenkins rose to the rank of assistant chief, a position he held for more than 20 years before stepping back and serving as a captain, and then as a firefighter so that others could advance; and
WHEREAS, on December 3, 2021, Firefighter Jenkins responded to a structure fire in Potosi in the line-of-duty and subsequently suffered a heart attack and died that same day; and
WHEREAS, firefighters courageously and selflessly devote their lives to ensuring the safety and well-being of their fellow citizens; and WHEREAS, the people of the State of Missouri are thankful for the sacrifices of the brave emergency responders who risk their own lives to protect the lives and property of their fellow citizens.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Michael L. Parson, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, as a mark of respect for the death of
FIREFIGHTER JAMES DALE JENKINS
and for his bravery and service to the Belgrade Volunteer Fire Department and the citizens of Washington County do hereby order that the flag of the United States and the flag of Missouri shall be flown at half-staff at every fire station in the State of Missouri and at the Fire Fighters Memorial, located in Kingdom City, Missouri, and at all government buildings in Washington County from sunrise until sunset on December 8, 2021.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, this 7th day of December, 2021.