♦ Social Events
♦ Legal advertisements
♦ Classified ads
■The News-Journal
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Life Sr Leisure
Hoke is safer because of firefighters
By Pat Alien Wilson
Editor
F irefighting is recognized
as the most dangerous job
in this country. On Sep
tember 11, 2001, 343
firefighters died in the twin tower
holocaust in New York City. This
year, to date, 78 have died in the
United States.
Last Thursday night, the Raeford-
Hoke Chamber of Commerce recog
nized the dangers of firefighting and
the responsibilities of local volun
teer firefighters and rescue personnel
at an appreciation banquet in their
honor.
The chamber also chose Noah
Pierce, of the Puppy Creek Volunteer
Fire Dept., as Firefighter of the Year.
Just days earlier, Pierce spoke with
youngsters of Brownie Troop 354, as
a part of their Career Day activities.
About firefighting, he said, “1 love it.
It’s a good feeling when you get to
help people. It’s an awesome feel
ing.”
Accepting his honor Thursday
night. Pierce said it made him “very
proud.”
Pride in what they do is a factor in
firefighters’ dedication. Lt. Leon
McMiUan, with the lyiertown Volunteer Carter's wife, Rita, said, “T’m proud of Firefighter of the Year a yearly event.
Fire Dept., has been a firefighter since him. It’s a lot of stress because you worry. Chamber member Rick Sandy said Thurs-
1989. “I will be a firefighter till I die. It’s but for the most part 1 am proud of him.” day night safety personnel are “very un
in my blood; once you get it, you can’t Mike Parkins, 21, was a junior selfish” people,
quit.” firefighter, beginning at age 16. “It started We can’t thank you enough for getting
McMillan, who spent 10 years as a out as something to do for the summer,” out of bed in the middle of the night,”
firefighter in the Navy, added, “When you he said. Then he went to the fire academy Sandy said. “Sometimes it’sjusttoputout
see it, you have nightmares.” at Fayetteville Technical Community a fire in a garbage can and sometimes you
“I just like helping people,” McMillan College. save lives.”
added. Parkins, who volunteers with Rockfish Said Hoke County Commissioner Chair-
“To help out my community,” is the and Lake Rim in Cumberland County, man Bobby Wright, “Ya’ll make Hoke
reason Chuck Brice, 64, has spent the last hopes to continue as a firefighter. He County a safer place and a better place to
years as a firefighter. “IPs a thankless job. would like to work fulltime, he said. live.”
Most people don’t want to do it because Creston Rowland, 17, a junior at Hoke ^ ^ ffu v
it’s not a paying job. Somebody has to do High, is currently Rockfish’s only junior ®
it.” firefighter. His grandfather was a
Brice, a South Antioch firefighter, said firefighter and his mom and sister are
one fire in particular taught him how much emergency medical technicians as well as
firefighters are needed. It was a barn fire, firefighters.
When the flames were extinguished, There are limits to what junior
firefighters found the charred remains of firefighters can do, Rowland said. He
man sitting in a chair inside the barn. It can’t ride outfirst and he can’t run mutual
was his chief’s uncle. “When I see some- aid. On school nights there is a 10 p.m.
thing like that it makes me want to get curfew.
involved and get others involved. Once he turns 18, Rowland said, he can
“9/11, it might have been us,” Brice become a “regular” firefigliter. That is, if
said. He thinks of those safety personnel the other firefighters vote to accept him.
who gave their lives all the time, he added. “That’s who I’ll be working with. If they
Firefighting is a family tradition, said don’t trust me, well...”
Matt Carter, 23, a Rockfish fireman. His An annual event ^ ^ ^
grandparents, father and uncles were The chamber' annualiy honors its Noah Pierce, shown h«r« with Girl Scout Brownwl
firefighters. Daughter Brianna, who is four, firefighters and rescue squad with a ban- Katherine Bishop, daughter of Daniel and Mdo^
said she wants to be a firefighter, too, quet. Members want to make naming a Firefi^wr of the Year die
Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Commerce.
Hoke served by 10 departments
H oke County is served by 10 fire Wagram-North Scotland (Station 2),
departments with two out-of located in Scotland County, serves an
county departments overlap- area in southern Hoke that borders Scot
ping into Hoke. land.
The count) 's fire marshal is Major The chief there is Dan Shaw.
Freddv Johnson of the Hoke Sheriff’s Other Hoke stations and fire chiefs are
•/
Office. Johnny Baker, chief of North Hillcrest (Station 1), Bobby Allen; Rock-
Raeford (Station 4), serves at the Hoke fish (Station 2), Todd Wood; Puppy Creek
County Firefighters Association president. (Station 3), David Willis; West Hoke (Sta-
Hoke County Rescue Base commander tion 5), Richard Wood; Stonewall (Sta-
is JimiTi) Stewart, and North Carolina tion 6), Keith Phillips; Pine Hill (Station
Forestry’s top ranger is Larry Moser. 7), Billie Williams; South Antioch (Sta-
Crestline (Station 72), located in Moore tion 8), Jimmy Carthens; Tylertown (Sta-
Count), serves western Hoke. tion 9), Hervon McCollum; and Raeford
Chief there is Adrian Allred. (Station 10), Dickie Lippard.
Clockwise from right: Matt Carter, left, and Mike Parkins; Charles Brice; Creston Rowland;
Leon McMillan