Even though Lincoln County and Brookhaven have been blessed notto have any firefighter deaths in the line of duty, local firedepartment officials still take this weekend as seriously asdepartments that have.

The weekend of Oct. 6-7 is National Fallen Firefighters MemorialWeekend. Brookhaven Fire Department Chief Bob Watts said every timehe hears of another firefighter fatality elsewhere in the country,the thought strikes him that his department has been lucky.

“How would you put it into words?” he asked. “Some would saylucky, but I personally believe there’s a higher power who’sblessed us.”

Lincoln County Assistant Fire Coordinator Randy Jordan saidthere have not been any volunteer firefighter deaths in recentmemory in Lincoln County either.

“As far as I know we’ve never lost a firefighter in the line ofduty and we are blessed with that,” he said. “We have to rememberit could happen at any time. You never know what you’re walkinginto when you go into a burning house.”

For the complete story and more local news, become a subscriberto The DAILY LEADER. Contact The DAILY LEADER at 601-833-6961 tosubscribe today!