Sammy Picard had a truck from the Maurice Volunteer Fire Department dedicated in his name during a ceremony Sunday afternoon.
Maurice Aldermen Jonathan Schlicher (speaking) and Fire Chief Matthew Trahan take part in the truck dedication ceremony for Sammy Picard (far left).
Sammy’s Truck: Picard honored by Maurice Volunteer Fire Department during dedication
MAURICE — On Sunday, January 27, Maurice Volunteer Fire Department honored their own Sammy Picard with a truck dedication. In late 2017, the department purchased a new truck; working number 622.
Among the many attendees, Maurice Mayor Wayne Theriot was the first to offer his kind words to ‘a good friend.’
“I’m honored today to have been asked to say a few words and to recognize Sammy. Many years ago, a certain group of individuals saw the need for a fire department,” Theriot said “As a former fireman, I remember one day Sammy and I fought the famous landfill fire, we sat out there for hours.
The 8 hours of fighting trash with the old pumper, a standard drive, no power steering, left Theriot to rely on Sammy to drive; a sometimes scary occurrence. He recalls Sammy allowing him to be a coach with him for a year. “It showed his dedication to our community at the very least, so it is with great pride that I say that Sammy was a good friend.”
Chief Matthew Trahan, presented the dedication with Picards’ rankings through the years. “The Maurice Fire Department has dedicated Unit 622 to Mr. Sammy Picard; which was one of the first officers to serve the department,” Hebert said, “in 1967, Picard served as Captain, in 1969 he was Assistant Chief, and in 1970 he was First Assistant; as well as being a lifetime member of this department.”
“52 years later, we are still acknowledging the people who made it happen, the dream that came true.” Sammy now joins five others who had been honored with the same dedication of trust in having their name being put on a truck.
Picards’ son, Vermilion Parish Police Juror Jason Picard, is proud of his fathers’ accomplishments and credits his fathers’ vision as admirable.
“Not only am I proud of my dad who; along with his fellow firefighters, had a vision, but he helped carry that vision out,” Jason said, “no one can really say enough about my dad and everyone who spoke before me had the same experience with him so I will conclude with this; He is driven and he is just a really great man.”
Picard follows Chief Fred Broussard-Unit 603, who served the department for 32 years, Dallas Landry-Unit 604, who served for 36 years, Chief Carroll Comeaux-unit 602, who served for 46 years, Chief Matthew Trahan-Unit 601, who is still serving, and Rod Broussard-Unit 621, 52 years and counting. These six individuals’ service years equal to 236 years of service to the department.
Sammy Picard thanked the community and the department for the honor. “I was shocked, but mostly I was grateful,” he said “There aren’t many times that I could recall being shocked in my life, but I guess you could say this was surely one of those times.”
