Commemorating Kyle, God rest his soul!---

• As our community continues to mourn the loss of our friend, comrade, compatriot and neighbor RVFD Chief Kyle Ienn, I deem it appropriate to publish his professional bio. Kyle commissioned me to write it, along with a business résumé just recently.
  
• Apparently he was full of optimism and hope at that time. We shall always wonder what happened to push him into his final decision.
• And we shall always contemn and revile those who criticize his decision. It was his to make! Let's just honor him. His family has nothing of which to be ashamed!!! And his community will always love and honor him.

• A funeral service has been scheduled for the Chief. The service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ralston High School.
  

BIO OF KYLE L. IENN, CHIEF, RALSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Kyle Ienn's roots run deep in his hometown of Ralston, Nebraska. A family man with three children himself, he is a graduate of Ralston High and grew up here. He believes in his community and, although he has a successful career in retail management, he has been active in community volunteerism since his boyhood, most notably in public safety and safety education, fire prevention and emergency response.

In over 22 years of public service in that capacity, Chief Ienn has assumed expanding roles of proactive leadership and authority with the RVFD, ascending from Volunteer to Treasurer, to Board Member, to Executive Board Member, to Assistant Chief. He was appointed Chief in 2001.

During that time the Chief has been instrumental in the growth of the department from 45 members with an annual call rate of 200, to its present level of 900 calls with about 52 volunteers.

Not only has he spearheaded vast improvements in the department's facilities, equipment and efficiencies, but he also has successfully envisioned and championed the recruitment of volunteers from neighboring communities and enhanced their training program to include leading edge methodologies and professional certification, but also assuming a leadership role in training other volunteer fire departments.

In that regard, RVFD is today in great demand to upgrade the professionalism of other departments, providing cross training for personnel as Certified Emergency Medical Technicians, empowering volunteers to provide timely response to crash and fire suppression calls, medical emergencies and traffic accidents. His mentoring has positively impacted the rescue of entrapped persons, utilizing forcible entry tools and power equipment in numerous communities.

His trainees are proficient in operating all hand and hose lines and raising and directing hose streams. as well as performing fire prevention, fire inspections, hydrant maintenance and station and apparatus maintenance. Not only has Kyle Ienn ushered in new levels of professionalism in the department's public service, but also he has successfully increased volunteer retention, morale and esprit d'corp. His many, many accomplishments include *

• * Ascertained the need for and then organized the Nebraska Serious Injury & Line of Duty Death Response Team, bringing both career and volunteer responders to recognition by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). The 42-member team responds at a moment's notice when a firefighter dies in the line of duty. Appointed by NFFF as State Advocate for the Everyone Goes Home Program, traveling statewide on his own time, teaching classes to reduce firefighter fatalities.
• * Organized the RVFD's Honor Guard and was appointed to the Board of Directors of The National Honor Guard Commanders' Association, responsible for two regions including 10 states. The formally uniformed Honor Guard participates in funerals and marches in public events.
• * Serve on the Board of Directors of The National Council on Fireworks Safety, the only fire official on the board. Following an incident when a 13-year-old local boy was critically by illegal fireworks, the chief led a comprehensive public education campaign to make the Independence Day season safer for all who enjoy fireworks by heightening public awareness of responsible fireworks usage. Continue to ariculate and advocate this message and materials with other departments to reduce injuries and property damage.
• * Spearheaded Ralston’s first “Fireworks Amnesty Day” after finding that many residents did not have a way of safely disposing of leftover fireworks and explosives. In recognition of the event’s huge success, the City of Omaha, the ATF and Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office contacted the chief and requested to partner up with his program. As a result, three such locations were established in Ralston, Omaha and Council Bluffs.
• * Chief Ienn was credited with saving the life of a longtime Ralston resident because of the Smoke / Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarm program he founded. A CO alarm was installed for an 80-year-old resident, and with 24 hours of installation it alerted the lady. She called the chief in the middle of the night, not wishing to bother others. He immediately dispatched his crew who encountered dangerously high levels of CO in her home. As a direct result of Chief Ienn’s program, a life was thus saved.
• * Recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), Volunteer and Combination Officers Section.

These are but a few examples of Kyle Ienn’s tireless leadership, vision and dedication to the safety of not only Ralston but also other communities and firefighters throughout the region and the nation. He is demonstrably capable of defining and setting long-term objectives, implementing sound management techniques, and initiating strategic planning. He has the consummate skill to effectively recruit, train, and motivate human resources, to delegate authority and to provide a viable liaison between diverse disciplines and professions, layers of government and between institutions, community organizations and the public.

• His recognized contributions to public awareness and safety have been realized through initiative, take charge attitude, high energy level, insight, creativity, organization and executional follow through.