Firefighters, EMS honored on 7th Sept. 11 anniversary

Published 5:00 am Friday, September 12, 2008

The Brookhaven First Assembly of God Church passed the Sept. 11anniversary’s seven-year mark Thursday night by breaking bread withthe city’s lifesavers.

Firefighters from the Brookhaven Fire Department and emergencymedical services personnel had hospitality poured on them at thechurch at the 2008 Firemen and EMS Appreciation Banquet, anighttime fellowship that Pastor Jim Mannon said was designed togive them a little fellowship and encouragement.

“They put their lives on the line – when you’re in trouble, theycome runnin’,” Mannon said. “Our church just wanted to extend thatservant’s heart to show our appreciation.”

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Emergency personnel attending the banquet were served dinner andhad their pockets stuffed with gifts like pocketknives and acamouflage Gideon’s service Bible. Each of the city’s threestations was presented with a framed painting of a firefighter onduty that featured the fireman’s version of Psalms 23.

Mannon said the church was a great venue for honoring emergencypersonnel because both firefighters and the church engage in asimilar business.

“We both have the job title of rescuers,” he said. “They pullpeople out of physical conditions, and we pull people out ofspiritual conditions. They save a life and we save a life – itdepends on how you look at it.”

The church managed to find the perfect guest speaker topersonify the connection between the two types of lifesaving -Jackson Fire Department Capt. Melvin Watson, a 30-year veteranfireman, 27-year EMT and reverend whose retirement fromfirefighting will be official on Oct. 31.

Watson said his presentation of car wreck and fire stories – alltoo familiar to the local firefighters – was to relate commonexperiences and build up encouragement. He said it was important tolet the firemen know they aren’t alone.

“We get a lot of thanks, but being a civil servant you sometimeswonder if your pay is worth what you have to risk,” he said. “Theysee a lot, experience a lot. One or two have probably rescuedsomeone from a fire – visualized someone who has been forevermaimed by fire or an accident.”

Mannon said the fireman’s job is not one that can be left at theoffice at the end of the day. Because of the commonality of dealingwith injuries and deaths and the scarcity of counseling,firefighters need the occasional lifting up, he said.

“We think we’re gung-ho and untouchable, but it touches us,”Mannon said.

Brookhaven Fire Department Capt. Robbie Thibodeaux said eventslike Thursday night’s mean a lot for emergency personnel who – likeMannon said – often carry the torch alone.

“A lot of people just don’t realize what we have to go throughand the things we see,” he said. “You never know if you’re going ona run that’s going to involve family members and friends.”

Thibodeaux said the sometimes thankless of job of being afirefighter is hard work, even on slow days.

“A lot of people think we just sit around playing cards anddon’t do anything, but we train and have class every day,” hesaid.

Thibodeaux said the fire department spends at least two hoursevery day in class, reviewing and practicing procedures. He saidthe department’s new firefighters – of which there areapproximately 10, added recently because of retirement and theexpansion of the department’s duties with Brookhaven’s year-oldannexation – constantly study streets and directions, practiceoperating the equipment and driving the fire engines.

And on top of that, the hard work is always just a page away -which is why Thursday night’s banquet means a great deal, said Lt.Justin Rippy.

“Anything positive helps,” he said.