7:24 PM BECAUSE YOU NEED TO KNOW And Tell Them THANK YOU

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Jun 20 2024 7:26 PM

HOUSTON COUNTY:    Because you need to know ...

09:41 AM    Houston County 911 dispatched a structure fire at 1557 Decatur Road in Madrid, flames visible.

Dispatched and responded, Madrid Volunteer Fire, Cottonwood Volunteer Fire, Hodgesville Volunteer Fire, Southern Junction Volunteer Fire, Rehobeth Fire - Rescue, Cottonwood Rescue, Houston County Sheriff Department to include Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza, and Cottonwood Police Department.

For a long time the emergency units were unable to determine if the lone resident of that house was home or not. The fire was to hot for anyone to enter on the arrival of the structure fire.

Finally, the home owner arrived with some others home.

Kinsey Fire Chief - Kinsey Mayor Jason Reneau serves as President of the Houston County Voluteer Fire Chief Association. And Reneau responded and has been with the other departments on the fire today.

What you need to know ... these volunteers left their homes, jobs, whatever plans they had for the day, and have spent the majority of the day on the scene of this structure fire. It was late this afternoon that departments began returning to service from this fire.

And they are VOLUNTEERS!!! 

Just wanted you to know ... sometimes those in power only think the people who live inside the City Limits of Dothan are the only ones that are important. Because the paid services operate inside the city limits of Dothan.

BUT everyone - every life - every house is important. And VOLUNTEERS have your back in the county. Now Dothan Fire Chief Larry Williams is always ready and willing to help outside the city limits and the only way he ever refuses is that the resources of Dothan are slammed and they do not have units available. And Joey Pilcher of Pilcher Ambulance Service has some assigned territory in the county but is always willing and available to send EMS into all areas of the county when called on.

Sometimes it aggravates me that volunteers are looked down on. EXAMPLE - Dothan Fire Chief Larry Williams can walk out of his house tonight, get into his City of Dothan unmarked vehicle, flip two switches activating his emergency lights and siren and respond to a fire. However, he has two Battalion Chief’s on duty, a Captain at 9 fire stations, and three Deputy Fire Chief’s.

But let a volunteer fire or EMS Chief flip a light on or siren leaving work to respond to a structure fire, bad medical call or wreck in the county, and some people ( some in power ) and they go slap crazy. But, is someone in the county who their house is on fire and possibly occupied, someone in a bad wreck, having a stroke or heart attack, are they not just as important as someone in the City Limits? Because volunteer they do not have a county vehicle and folks in power sometimes go crazy.

But what if the person that is going crazy is laying in the ditch needing EMS? What if that person going crazy lives in the county and their family might be trapped inside the burning structure?

One made the comment one day, well that is why they have insurance. I quickly responded so if you are laying in the ditch needing a ambulance one day in the county, should the answer be, die, that is the reason your wife has life insurance?   NO - that is not what the men and women who are paid and/or volunteer think. All are important.

These are comments and obstacles I hear at times. But I want you to know these men and women, for free, spent their day at this fire. And often times are not even told THANK YOU.

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO GAVE OF YOUR TIME TODAY ... you are appreciated.

Also THANK YOU to the 911 Dispatchers who did an awesome job today.

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