Hot air balloons Sunday morning in Carson City celebrate firefighter's retirement
Three hot air balloons are scheduled to launch early Sunday morning from East Fork Fire Station 12, located at 3620 North Sunridge Drive in South Carson City, part of a retirement celebration for a firefighting veteran with the East Fork Fire District in Douglas County.
Fire Captain Allen Anderson, Sr., ends his final shift Sunday morning, June 24 at Station 12 and will celebrate the end of a more than three-decades long firefighting career with a hot air balloon launch, including the Twisted Pixie, Anderson's own racing balloon that he will pilot for the first time.
But Minden resident Anderson is no rookie at hot air balloon piloting. He's been at the helm of ballooning for about as long as he has been fighting fires. The East Fork Fire captain won first place at the 2017 Great Reno Balloon Race.
Organizers of the retirement launch event will be meeting at the East Fork Fire District Station 12 at 5:50 a.m.
"What a fantastic journey it has been," Capt. Anderson wrote on his Facebook page. "I have watched East Fork grow from an infant to the fine department that it is."
The East Fork Professional Firefighters Local 3726 said on its Facebook page that Capt. Anderson enjoyed surf-and-turf steak and lobster courtesy of his crew for his final dinner at the station.
"Captain Anderson has served as a skilled captain and a great friend to all of us," the union stated. "He has a special place in our hearts and he will be truly missed."
Anderson said he will miss the people he's come to know at East Fork Fire over the years most of all.
"Along the way I have gained many brothers and sisters that I can't say enough good about," he wrote. "I love and care deeply for each and every one of you.
"I have trouble imagining daily life without you all being part of it," Anderson added. "It is with the greatest respect and admiration that I say so long to my entire fire family, friends all."
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