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Meet Robert Dykstra, Brandon's new fire chief
By By Jill Meier
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EmailNovember 05. 2009 6:00AM
Robert Dykstra isn’t one to make a hasty decision.
When a few of his firefighting peers asked him to consider running for chief of the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department, Dykstra didn’t have an immediate answer for them.
“I went home and discussed it with my wife,” he said, “because if you’re going to do something like this, you need a very supportive spouse.”
A few days later, Dykstra was asked a second time.
“A couple of individuals gave me some very powerful words of encouragement, and their opinion and support meant a great deal,” he said.
Again, Dykstra discussed the idea with his wife, Susan. Together, they decided his name would go on the ballot, and Oct. 19, Dykstra. 43, was elected as chief of the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department.
He succeeds Tony Kuck, who had the job for a year, before retiring after 18 years of service with the town’s fire department.
Mike Vogel, who moved up from captain to first assistant chief, believes Dykstra will be a strong leader for the department.
“He’ll be a good one. He has a lot of background in this,” Vogel said.
Dykstra, who grew up in Avon, had long admired his father’s 50-plus years of service to the Avon Fire Department. After graduating from college with a high school teaching degree in business, Dykstra said teaching jobs in his specialty were scarce.
“I had bills to pay and decided to get married,” he said. “I was working a few part-time jobs back in Avon where I grew up and decided to join the Avon Fire Department.”
After 12-1/2 years with the department, Dykstra applied for a full-time position with the Sioux Falls Fire Department. “I was fortunate enough to be hired,” he said.
The Dykstras chose to make their home in Brandon, and six years ago, Dykstra signed on as a volunteer firefighter with Brandon department.
“I had witnessed a minor car accident one day and there were some minor injuries, so I offered to help,” he recalled. Afterwards, a few local firefighters asked Dykstra if he would consider joining the department.
Now in his new role as chief, Dykstra said he’s been busy acquainting himself with the job. “It’s busy, but a lot is just getting accustomed and oriented,” he said. “There’s phone calls and contacts to be made.”
Dykstra said doesn’t plan to implement any immediate changes.
“I don’t foresee any major changes. Obviously, we’ll keep up on training and provide a good service to the people we serve,” he said. “As a group, they’re pretty committed.”
And department members have to be committed in a community that’s on the rise. “Our call volume is increasing as the city grows,” Dykstra said. Last year, the department responded to 446 calls. Since Oct. 1, they’ve been called out 41 times, he said.
Dykstra said he’ll rely on his supporting officers when he can’t be here. “What’s nice is that Mike and Darrin work right here in town. They’re two people who are available as much as they can be during the day,” he said.
Dykstra and his wife Susan have two children, Rebecca, 15, a sophomore, and Zachary, 9, a third grader.
When a few of his firefighting peers asked him to consider running for chief of the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department, Dykstra didn’t have an immediate answer for them.
“I went home and discussed it with my wife,” he said, “because if you’re going to do something like this, you need a very supportive spouse.”
A few days later, Dykstra was asked a second time.
“A couple of individuals gave me some very powerful words of encouragement, and their opinion and support meant a great deal,” he said.
Again, Dykstra discussed the idea with his wife, Susan. Together, they decided his name would go on the ballot, and Oct. 19, Dykstra. 43, was elected as chief of the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department.
He succeeds Tony Kuck, who had the job for a year, before retiring after 18 years of service with the town’s fire department.
Mike Vogel, who moved up from captain to first assistant chief, believes Dykstra will be a strong leader for the department.
“He’ll be a good one. He has a lot of background in this,” Vogel said.
Dykstra, who grew up in Avon, had long admired his father’s 50-plus years of service to the Avon Fire Department. After graduating from college with a high school teaching degree in business, Dykstra said teaching jobs in his specialty were scarce.
“I had bills to pay and decided to get married,” he said. “I was working a few part-time jobs back in Avon where I grew up and decided to join the Avon Fire Department.”
After 12-1/2 years with the department, Dykstra applied for a full-time position with the Sioux Falls Fire Department. “I was fortunate enough to be hired,” he said.
The Dykstras chose to make their home in Brandon, and six years ago, Dykstra signed on as a volunteer firefighter with Brandon department.
“I had witnessed a minor car accident one day and there were some minor injuries, so I offered to help,” he recalled. Afterwards, a few local firefighters asked Dykstra if he would consider joining the department.
Now in his new role as chief, Dykstra said he’s been busy acquainting himself with the job. “It’s busy, but a lot is just getting accustomed and oriented,” he said. “There’s phone calls and contacts to be made.”
Dykstra said doesn’t plan to implement any immediate changes.
“I don’t foresee any major changes. Obviously, we’ll keep up on training and provide a good service to the people we serve,” he said. “As a group, they’re pretty committed.”
And department members have to be committed in a community that’s on the rise. “Our call volume is increasing as the city grows,” Dykstra said. Last year, the department responded to 446 calls. Since Oct. 1, they’ve been called out 41 times, he said.
Dykstra said he’ll rely on his supporting officers when he can’t be here. “What’s nice is that Mike and Darrin work right here in town. They’re two people who are available as much as they can be during the day,” he said.
Dykstra and his wife Susan have two children, Rebecca, 15, a sophomore, and Zachary, 9, a third grader.
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Robert Dykstra is the new chief of the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department. Dykstra was elected to the position by his peers. He succeeds Tony Kuck, who retired from the department after 18 years of service. Photo by Jill Meier |  |
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