'THOSE WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES'
Firefighters memorial to be placed on Saline County courthouse lawn
This article was published March 1, 2009 at 2:30 a.m.
LITTLE ROCK — Three Saline County firefighters will be the first men honored by the new firefighters memorial soon to be completed on the county courthouse lawn in Benton.
The 6-foot bronze firefighter statue was purchased soon after Turtle Creek volunteer firefighter Paul Baker died in 2007.
"We bought the statue in memory of Paul Baker," said Turtle Creek Fire Chief Jimmy Cooper. "We already had the funds to purchase it, then we donated it to the firefighters memorial in order to remember those who sacrificed their lives."
The Turtle Creek department took its idea for the memorial to Gill Carpenter, president of the Saline County Firefighters Association, who took the idea to the county judge.
"We have lost two firefighters in the last four years," Carpenter said. "So we thought it would be a way to honor the guys that have given their lives for this county.
"Judge Fite jumped through hoops to get this going."
The two other firefighters filled in the line of duty were Tull volunteer Fire Chief Ken Mitchell who died in 2005 and Benton Fire Chief Chester Woodall who died in 1970.
County Judge Lanny Fite said the statue will be located on the northeast corner of the courthouse lawn and dirt work will start in two weeks. He said he hopes the memorial will be completed in May when the statue is unveiled.
"After the long process of receiving approval for the memorial from the state we will begin dirt work in two weeks," Fite said. "Since the courthouse is a state historic site, we had to have approval. The county is providing the location and we will do the excavating, pour the foundation and build the retaining wall.
"This gives the county an opportunity to honor the firefighters of the county. A large majority of the them are volunteers who give their time and effort without pay."
The county has 22 fire departments, with only three paid departments and 400 active firefighters.
Along with the bronze statue, the memorial will feature a plaque for the fallen firefighters and brick pavers will cover the floor of the memorial.
The brick pavers can be purchased for $50 apiece only by current and retired firefighters or families of deceased firefighters.
Carpenter said the money will be used to offset the $10,000 price tag for the back wall of the memorial.
"We nearly have all the money to pay for the whole thing," Carpenter said. "So it's going really well."
Carpenter said anyone interested in making a donation should call Debbie Lawrence at Hurricane Creek Credit Union, (501) 315-3162.
- epannell@ arkansasonline.com
Tri-Lakes, Pages 133, 138 on 03/01/2009
