The following was composed and donated to the Tampico fire and Ambulance Departments from Robert Johnson, brother-in-law of the late Fire Chief, Wayne Cooper.   May 30, 1990

Wayne Cooper became a volunteer fireman at the age of twenty,
He didn't have experience, but enthusiasm he had plenty.
Wayne had his own electrical business, but when the fire phone rang,
He would drop whatever he was doing, he was a fireman again!
Wayne loved being a fireman, it was the one thing he wanted to be,
And then he became Fire Chief, at the young age of just twenty-three!
Wayne trained people to know all about fires and also to save lives,
He didn't care if they were young or old, he even trained husband and wives!
Wayne built up the fire department, and looking back you see how it grew,
He even added an ambulance service and that was something brand new!
Wayne Cooper was the Fire Chief for thirty years and anyone could tell,
That he was proud to be the firemen's chief and he did it very well.
There were many of nights Wayne didn't sleep at all, and nights he would lie awake,
In 1989 he took sick and it was something he couldn't shake.
Wayne died in 1990, but he said there was one job yet to be done,
And that was to get emergency service by just dialing 911!
This will be an important job for the new Fire Chief that fills Wayne's shoes,
And when it is done, tell Wayne by prayer,
He will be proud to have the news.
And when there is a storm with lightening and thunder, in my mind I have no doubt.
That Wayne is the new Fire Chief in Heaven,
Doing his best to put it out.

May 30, 1990