2:00 PM Sunday April 27th 2008 and the members of the Pocomoke City Fire Department are ready to welcome the community to dedicate the new Firehouse at 1410 Market Street.While the Parade was in progress, it was a bittersweet event for those of us who live around the firehouse to see them move those 9-blocks away.
We have lived next door to the old Firehouse since moving to Pocomoke City in 1987 and they have been the best neighbors anyone could ask to have.
Many people think that the Pocomoke Tattler does not recognize the good things that happen in Pocomoke City and we would like to prove you wrong.
Yes our city is full of political issues but there is a certain amount of small town pride in having some of your own 'Hometown Heroes' do a job and do it well. The new firehouse was built on time and under budget with the only "grant money" being for the demolition of the portion of the building where the engines are housed which was built to modern 2008 specifications. A far cry from the City of Salisbury spending $10 million in taxpayer money, multiple cost over runs, major flaws and a price tag of over $1,500.00 per square foot.
Many people do not see all of the "behind the scenes" work that the members do and the amount of pride they take in simple tasks from washing & polishing equipment to tuning up their historic equipment to just talking about it.
Saturday afternoon I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with former City Councilman Bill Sparrow and a couple of 'the guys' listening to them "tinker" with the old engine until they had her "purring" and sounding great. It's great when two men who rarely ever saw eye-to-eye on city politics can spend a moment reveling and a piece of mobile history while talking about community pride and how good it has been to be neighbors for over two-decades. (Billy y'all looked great driving her down Market St during the parade)
The early days of the transformation were a little rough getting started and when we "poked them" with pictures in an article about how the city code does not apply to "Friends of Boss Hogg" they took it a little more than personal and many firemen told me so. I suggested they do something about it and "prove me wrong" and it took less than a week for something to be done about that. (Don't mess with the Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Dept)
Our fire department obtained an old derelict 'Food City' building out of bankruptcy and has turned an eyesore into a "crown jewel" the City will be proud of for decades to come. WELL DONE!!!
The pictures above and below were taken Saturday afternoon while the sun was shining and the members were buzzing like bees getting ready for today AFTER taking the time to pay their respects in full uniform, by attending the funeral for the widow of a long retired member. The members must be commended for taking time on the busiest day of the past several years to show their respect and one more example of why you have earned ours.
The dedication ceremony was well attended by people from all walks of life in Pocomoke, politics were placed aside for a few hours. Heck I even enjoyed sharing some chocolate covered strawberries with X-Councilman Honiss Cane himself during the festivities.
Stephanie, Alex, Raleigh, Grayson and I along with all the neighbors really hate to see the firehouse move but we wish the PCVFD the best in their new home.
3 comments:
This articel would have been really great if it had left out the swipes at the Salisbury Fire Department's new home and cost. In other words, left out the "politics." I am happy for both companies having new "homes" and the work done by both companies The size of the two cities would have a lot to due with the size of the station required. Overall, a nice write up.
I don't think this article was meant to compare city size. It shows that a small town like Pocomoke can build a Taj Mahal just as big as Salisbury's for a fourth of the cost. Pocomoke didn't need two refrigerators, a double stove/oven, or a bunch of wasted counter space. They may have wanted it but they are making due with what they need. Salisbury on the other hand WANTS and GETS they don't actually NEED any of the frivolous extras that they got, they could have gotten by very nicely on a whole lot less than $10 million dollars and still had a beautiful new building to house the equipment.
Does PCVFD ladies auxillary use the kitchen for fundraisers? Salisbury sure doesn't and won't.
Phase II of the Pocomoke Fire House project is to covert the former Drug Fair store into a 400 seat Community Center complete with a kitchen for the Ladies Auxiliary to continue their great community dinners. Until the Community Center is complete, the Ladies will continue to use the banquet facility at the former firehouse on 5th Street. By the way, the Pocomoke City community has donated just over $500,000 to the Capital Campaign to build the firehouse and Community Center.
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