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From left, Arbala Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brian Fairchild, Saltillo VFD secretary Dutch Vallaster and North Hopkins Chief Bobby Harris gather around the new air canisters purchased for county VFDs with federal funds. Further to the left, Dike VFD Chief A. G. Sandifer and Hopkins County Fire Chief Andy Endsley go over paperwork. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
After a month of fundraising among county volunteer fire departments, Saltillo Volunteer Fire Department emerged with the $1,000 bonus by raising the most money during Tully Insurance’s donation drive, which brought in a total $20,140 for all 11 county VFDs.
At an event at the square Thursday morning, Jason Tully, owner of Tully Insurance Agency, congratulated the volunteer firefighters for their work.
“We had a great turnout,” Tully said. “We’re looking to try again next year, and I appreciate all that you do for us.”
Saltillo VFD Chief John Brian Beadle said he was “very appreciative” of Tully holding the fundraiser, especially during COVID-19. VFDs usually hold large-crowd events like stews or crawfish boils to raise donations, but COVID-19 largely put a lid on that.
“I’m super proud of our community and everybody in the county for stepping up,” Beadle said. “All of us VFDs are working towards one goal, and that is protecting our communities. We are blessed to be living in Hopkins County.”
New air cylinders, used to provide firefighters with clean, compressed air, were given to the VFDs after Tully’s announcement. The county used funds from the CARES Act to purchased the equipment, which some VFDs had requested previously.
“If a department has engines and responds to structural fires, they’re getting a few more cylinders,” Hopkins County Andy Endsley said. “In the future, we’re hoping to balance it between departments, but now, each department can walk away with new cylinders.”
Beadle said the distribution to each county VFD instead of being held at the county station would help in getting needed equipment on-scene faster.
“I know there’s a lot of departments that are in dire, dire need of them,” he said in addition. “If we had something happen at Sulphur Bluff, we [Saltillo VFD] and [Pickton-]Pine Forest would respond along with North Hopkins, and with the bottles [cylinders] that were distributed and what [Station] 20 has, that puts a lot of bottles in one location in a short amount of time.”
Final Standings
The final standings for the VFD drive from the total of $20,140 raised are as follows from greatest to least:
• Saltillo VFD— $4,750 (plus $1,000 bonus)
• Miller Grove VFD—$3,000
• Sulphur Bluff VFD—$2,820
• Hopkins County—$2,600
• Pickton-Pine Forest VFD—$2,000
• North Hopkins VFD—$1,470
• Cumby VFD— $1,150
• Brinker VFD— $550
• Arbala VFD— $255
• Como VFD— $250
• Tira VFD—$175
• Dike VFD—$120