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Rep. Bart Gordon

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the members of the Bell Buckle Volunteer Fire Department for their selfless dedication and bravery in protecting our families, day and night.

The Bell Buckle Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1950 with 15 firefighters, a chief and a truck. Currently, the fire department has 20 volunteers on its training roster and is building an addition to the Fire Hall that will house six trucks.

Without volunteer fire halls, like Bell Buckle, many places in the Sixth District would lack effective fire protection. In the state of Tennessee, over 70 percent of fire service is provided by volunteers. Among these volunteers, almost 75 percent work other daily jobs.

Ensuring our families' safety is not without risk. Sadly, an average of two firefighters die each year in Tennessee in the line of duty. In 2005, the Tennessee Fire Services and Code Academy dedicated a memorial on their main campus in Bell Buckle to honor those Tennessee firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

For their willingness to serve, the following members of the Bell Buckle Volunteer Fire Department deserve recognition: Chief Mary Lokey, Deputy Chief Ronnie Lokey, Deputy Chief Dave Fisher, Richard Miller, Brian Wafford, Brian Lokey, John Crosslin, Jenna Gragg, Matthew Joseph, Nathan Gragg, Jason Rieben, Matthew Gragg, Travis Miller, Robert Gown, Leo Wilcox, Whitt Ross, Ken Del Villar, Adam Prince, Cain Owens and Daniel Gragg. Also listed on the training roster are retired Chief James Elkin and Phillip Daniel, Gone But Not Forgotten.