STARKVILLE — The call of duty, no matter the time or place, is part of the job for emergency responders. Even when the distress call is sent from more than 1,000 miles away.
Starkville Fire Department Chief Rodger Mann remembers the galvanizing effect the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, had on his fellow firefighters. Mann, then fire marshall, was overwhelmed by the willingness and eagerness of SFD firefighters to join the search and rescue efforts in New York and Washington, D.C.
“It was amazing to see how many of our guys requested to go,” Mann said. “But when something like this happens, naturally FEMA gets inundated with requests. They had way more people than they needed, so none of our guys went.”
Though local firefighters have never dealt with an emergency as ominous and far reaching, they”ll be recognized today during Starkville”s 9/11 tribute ceremony at Fire Station 1, located at 503 E. Lampkin St.
The memorial service to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11 begins at 2 p.m. Anyone, including local first responders, police officers and military personnel are invited to attend.
The communitywide memorial will include prayer from Henderson Elementary School Principal and local minister Timothy Bourne and a 9/11 tribute dance by Starkville resident Charlotte Leonard. Starkville High School ROTC will present the flag, and the SHS arts department will unveil a mural. MSU Provost Jerry Gilbert and Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman will be among speakers at the event, Starkville Mayor Youth Council Director Stephanie Shackelford said.
“A lot of businesses have donated food, flowers and funds to help make this happen,” said Shackelford, who organized the event. “It”s a lot like how people came together after 9/11. It”s pretty special.”
Shackelford said she expects about 200 people to attend, though she hopes more residents will come and enjoy the fellowship and barbecue.
“It”s amazing how you can turn a negative into such a positive, which is what you”re doing when you have a tribute like this,” Mann said. “We still get people that come up and recognize us for our service in the community. I think 9/11 opened people”s eyes to what emergency personnel do for this country.”
County to hold Firemen Field Games
For the third year, members from all seven Oktibbeha County Volunteer Fire Departments will square off in firefighter-themed games.
The inter-county competition will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Jackson Park, in Sturgis. Events include the motorless go-kart race, where the go-kart is moved by firemen shooting water at a flat piece of wood strapped to the back.
The firemen will compete in the turnout drill, a race to see who can properly suit up in their heat protection gear the fastest.
All of the games represent a task firefighters do in an emergency situation: Get dressed quickly and work together to spray water accurately.
Today”s games will help commemorate the firefighters who had to do just that on 9/11.
“There”s a lot of camaraderie between emergency responders, especially firemen,” Sturgis Volunteer Fire Chief Greg Wall said. “The teamwork you see with firemen is because of a deep bond and the duty to fall out of bed and be where they need to be. As firemen, we have a sense of connection to all firemen. We have fun during the games, but we know what (today) will be about.”
Today”s games will begin with a devotional ceremony led by Maben Fire Station Manager Joel Walls.
Last year, the games were called off due to weather and was declared a draw. Wall said the firemen needed to return to their respective stations just in case emergency calls came in from the approaching storm.
“As a result, I expect it to be pretty competitive this year,” Wall said.
The games are open to the public.
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