Honoring Fire Heroes in Chickasaw County

CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A firefighters appreciation ceremony took place in Chickasaw County on Sunday.

It was to honor three fire chiefs who were inducted into the county’s hall of fame.

The men represented three fire departments out of the eight in the county.

“They didn’t do all the things to be here today. They did it because they loved their fellow man. They loved everybody in this community and they wanted to make a difference and they did and that’s why we’re here. We are honoring them for the difference that they made today,” says The Chickasaw County Fire Chiefs Association Chairman, Eddie Wiggs.

Wiggs says the county wanted to recognize and remember the firemen as living legends.

He also says these men were selected because they went way above the requirements for a firefighter.

“They had to do something, not just one act of significance, but over their entire careers. They’ve gave and gave and gave to the point that if they hadn’t done what they did at their departments in this county, their departments would probably not, may not even exist because they’re that important to us here in Chickasaw County.”

Barry Dendy served as a Woodland Volunteer Firefighter for nearly 20 years and was the fire chief for 17 of those years.

He says Sunday’s honor and recognition means a lot to him and says good volunteers make good volunteer firefighters.

“People that want to give back to their fellow man. People that are not selfish. People that don’t mind getting up at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning, when the weather is bad or freezing cold, and going to help a fellow man whether it be a fire, a wreck, or medical call because Woodland, just like the other departments, answers all types of calls.”

The Hall of Fame induction was a complete surprise to the fire heroes, including for Robert Goza, who has been a fireman for 54 years.

He says the honor brings him lots of joy, but his firefighter family is his biggest joy as a fireman.

“Being in association with the members of the fire department. You get pretty close to them when you have to roll at 2 o’clock in the morning in the freezing weather, ice on the road, and things like that, you get pretty close to your volunteer people. It’s sort of like brothers and sisters.”

The Hall of Fame was created around seven to eight years ago.

Today’s induction makes a total of five inductees.