County 92: Lawrence

After 15 months of traveling to all 92 counties in Indiana, I made my final stop of the Hoosier Crossroads Tour in Lawrence County, my lifelong home. As a hometown gal, I have attended just about every festival, school outing, and fundraising supper Lawrence County has to offer. However, for this stop I was invited for the first time to speak at the annual Bedford Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Luncheon.  



Lt. Governor Skillman speaks at the annual Bedford
Fire Department's Fire Prevention Luncheon



It was very rewarding to see participation from so many people in our community from students to teachers, to local elected officials, and family members of our firefighters.

A person is never too old or too young to be reminded of the dangers of a fire and the sacrifice these men and women make to keep us safe. Even Mayor Girgis learned that her home needed more smoke detectors and she was going home to install them in every bedroom.

As Lt. Governor I chair the State’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and under this umbrella is the State Fire Marshall. After creating DHS in our first year in office, we have had many successes that have helped keep 6.5 million Hoosiers safe. This includes creating the Indiana Firefighter Training System, which provides certification and in-service training to more than 5,000 firefighters annually.  This is the first time in the history of our state there has been funding support for firefighter training at the local level. 

We all know the primary function of government is to protect our people. I have daily reminders of the state’s security, so I’m prouder than ever of the work being done by our firefighters, emergency managers, law enforcement and first responders across the state.  I have witnessed the dedication first-hand on many occasions. 

The hard work and commitment of our emergency responders coupled with the guidance of DHS will continue making Indiana a safer place for all Hoosiers. I am honored to live in a state where we take care of our neighbors. After traveling to all 92 counties, countless times, I know Hoosiers will successfully conquer any challenge.