Firefighter history collection displayed at library

Navarre students are the only ones who will benefit from October being National Fire Protection Month.

In an effort to raise awareness for fire safety, Lunette Kovatch created a display case at the Navarre Library featuring knick knacks and memorabilia from the Holley-Navarre Fire Department.

Other items on display are representative of her husband, Gene’s, days as a firefighter. Gene, a native of Maryland, now serves as the chairman of the Trustee and Pension Board for the Holley-Navarre firefighters.

“A friend of mine introduced my husband to (firefighting) in 1959,” Lunette said. “He was a firefighter in Maryland and then Kentucky when we moved.”

When he could no longer fight fires due to ailments and age, Gene decided to volunteer for the Holley-Navarre Fire Department.

“I wanted initially to be a fire commissioner and I was waiting for an opening when they made the pension board, so I volunteered for that,” he said.

The vintage helmets on display are from the Holley-Navarre department, as well as old patches worn by Gene and a few photos.