Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club

The Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club ( RKMC ) is a motorcycle club for motorbike -propelled firefighters and their families. It is the largest fire department - Motorcycle Club world.

Member of RKMC can be any motorcycle propelled firefighters. Life partners, spouses, children and siblings are called " Social Member" added.

History

During the summer of 1982, several firefighters met at " Randy's Cycle Shop " in Boylston Massachusetts (USA). They discussed that law enforcement authorities had founded their own motorcycle club, the Blue Knights, but it still was not a motorcycle club for firefighters. In the course of this discussion, said the business owner Randy Wilson to Ed Wright, a firefighter from Northboro (Massachusetts), that he should stop talking about it and instead start a motorcycle club should.

Enthusiastic about this idea was Ed Wright home and created some handmade cards to firefighters from the region invite. He planned to organize a meeting to determine if there was sufficient interest for the creation of a motorcycle club. On August 17, 1982 fire chief Jack Pierce allowed a small group of motorcycle enthusiastic firefighters in the headquarters of the fire department to make preparations for the establishment of a motorcycle club to create.

On October 19, 1982, the firefighters Colin Mackey, Bob Bourassa, Ed Wright, Roger Wentzell, Dave Hamilton, Bob Goulet, David Hunt, Jon Tripp, Don Parker, Norm Beausoleil and fire chief Jack Pierce met again. It was decided that this group is called the Red Knights Motorcycle Club.

In July 1983, a Chapter ( local group ) was founded in Connecticut. In October of the same year, the second chapter in Massachusetts was founded. Soon it came to start-ups in far away places such as Nevada and Louisianna. In August 1983, the founding members realized that the organization quickly surpassed their initial expectations. To handle this growth properly they chose a Board, National Board of Directors. With the founding Chapter of Ontario and Saskatchewan, the club became the Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club.

Today there are 350 chapters and over 9,500 members worldwide.

Member types

There are at RKMC following member types:

Each firefighters, who is in possession of a valid driving license for motorbikes and has access to a motorcycle can be a member of the RKMC as Active Members. As a fireman belonging to apply the active service in a professional, work, military, airport or volunteer fire department. Even former firefighters, for example, their active service in a fire department have regularly ended for reasons of age, as an Active Member at RKMC can also become or remain a member. EMS personnel may also be included, if they are hired by a fire department.

In a Chapter - foundation are all members who obtain your membership in the first year of the founding Chapter, conducted as founding members (charter member ).

Siblings, spouse or partner, children aged 16 years and the parents of Active members may join as social members RKMC.

Children of Active members may join as a junior member RKMC until the age of 16.

The individual chapters, persons who are not related to the fire service record, as an Associate Member. However, a maximum of 10 percent of the members of a Chapters may be an Associate Member.

Members at large if the area does not have enough members for a Chapter founded together or find the next existing Chapter is too far away, there is the possibility of direct member RKMC (Member at Large ] ) to be. For MAL the same conditions as for Member Active Member shall apply.

Organization

Establishing a Chapters are at least 7 prospective required that fulfill the membership requirements as an Active Member. Each Chapter shall elect its own board of directors. The following Executive Offices ( officer ): President, Vice - President, Secretary, Treasurer and Road Captain. President and Vice President must be an Active Member, the other 3 offices may be exercised by all members. As a double feature only Secretary and Treasurer is permitted.

Several chapters can join together to form State or Regional Associations. The State Ossasociations exist predominantly in the U.S., for example, the Ohio Association. There are currently two Regional Associations. The first Regional Association unites the chapters in Australia and New Zealand, the second combines the chapters in Europe.

Memorial

In Boylston (Massachusetts), not far from the local Fire Station, is the Memorialdes RKMC. It is the place where in 1982 the RKMC was founded. The RKMC Chapter Massachusetts 1 began in 2002 with the preparations, on 18 August 2007, the Memorial was officially opened. In addition to a memorial stone commemorating the founding of the RKMC located there is also a memorial with the names of all deceased RKMC members.

In 2011, of the international RKMC Board has been able to get from the Port Authority of New York a piece of steel from the World Trade Center. The piece bears the numbers C -149 and N -176, so it comes from the area of the point of impact between the 94th and 98th floor of WTC Tower 1 was transferred in 2011 with a guard of honor from New York to Boylston, and was on June 16th, 2012 integrated with a ceremony in the RKMC Memorial.

International Board

The RKMC is led by the International Board (international executive board). This consists of 4 offices within the RKMC and the 7 Regional Director. The Executive Offices of the International Board of Directors are President, Vice - President, Secretary and Treasurer.

In addition, include all 7 Regional Director on the International Board of Directors. Each Regional Director is responsible for a region. The international board of a Australia- New Zealand Ambassador is the link to the International Board of Directors for this region is supported. They are also assisted by a person responsible for the website and committees.

As a distinguishing feature current and former members of the International Board wear a pin with the international RKMC seal.

The RKMC international presidents:

David Hamilton (1982-1986)
Jack Pierce (1986-1987)
Edward Thompson (1987-1991)
Gary Nelson (1991-1995)
Leo Patry (1995-1997)
Gary Nelson (1997-2000)
Edward Brouillet (2000-2007)
Jack Downs (2007-2009)
David Emery (2009-2013)
Chris Gadway ( from 2013 )

Annual Convention

In each year, usually on the 3rd weekend in August, the great General Meeting ( Annual Convention ) of RKMC takes place.

Here the members of the international board are elected.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - 2012
Ocean City, Maryland - 2011
Niagara Falls, New York - 2010
Fort Lauderdale, Florida - 2009
Sandusky, Ohio - 2008
Worcester, Massachusetts - 2007
New York, New York - 2006
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 2005
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - 2004
Laval, Quebec, Canada - 2003
Warwick, Rhode Iceland - 2002
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - 2001
Indianapolis, Indiana - 2000
Daytona Beach, Florida - 1999
Rutland, Vermont - 2013

Prince Edward Iceland - 2014
San Antonio, Texas - 2015
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin - 2016
Syracuse, New York - 2017
Pittsburgh, Pennsilvania - 2018

675722