Over two-thousand active and retired firefighters attended the annual Iowa State Firemans’ Convention this weekend in Manchester. This was the 45th convention for Walter Cook of Walker, who says the equipment has changed dramatically in that time. He says if you had a truck that would haul 250 to 500 gallons of water and pump 500-gallons-a-minute, you had a good piece of equipment. Now he says they now have trucks that pump 12-hundred-50 gallons-a-minute and might haul 15-hundred to two-thousand gallons of water with them. He says things have changed mostly for the better. Cook, who is now retired, says being a firefighter is an important way to help your community. He says if you’re going to live in a community you got to be part of it. He says it’s community service whether you belong to the fire department or the Lions Club. Rusty Hockman just retired after serving as chief of the Jewel fire department for 13 years. He says firefighters are a close group. He says it’s one great brotherhood, a big family that cares about each other. He says it’s a dangerous job, but a rewarding one. The convention wrapped up Sunday.