Members of the Southwest Virginia Firefighters Association,

I am humbled and very appreciative of all your support especially from the members of Barren Springs Volunteer Fire Department, for supporting me in this new role. It is both my great honor and privilege to serve as your 79^th President of the Southwest Virginia Firefighters Association.

Thank you for your exemplary leadership to this association Past President Ray Musselman, Riner Volunteer Fire Department, all those who served on committees, or who stepped up to help when needed. Thank you to all our faithful vendors and sponsors, too numerous to list. The 78^th Annual Southwest Virginia Firefighters Association Convention at Natural Bridge, VA was outstanding!

I would like to challenge all our members to step up and serve this association, and to invite others to join us. This association, like all others, only has a voice as strong as our membership.  The larger our membership grows directly impacts the voice we have locally, in Richmond, and in Washington, D.C. Just like any emergency scene when we work together, we work better and more efficiently. It is more imperative now than ever that we stand united together to support one another and pass on the esteemed traditions of the fire service to a new generation of firefighters. There is no better place in Southwest Virginia to do this than right here with this association and at the 79^th Annual Southwest Virginia Firefighters Association Convention. Please join us this year as we honor the tradition of the fire service, memorialize those we have lost, train for the changing world around us, and fellowship together. The 79^th Convention will be held at the Meadowview Marriott in Kingsport, TN June 12^th-15^th, 2025.

As always, I am available if you have any concerns, questions, ideas, or needs. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 540-239-8464.

God bless and stay safe,

Joshua Stitt, President
Southwest Virginia Firefighters Association