TRI-LAKES AREA — It’s been almost three months since the tornado ripped through the town of East End in Saline County, damaging or destroying some 300 homes.
Even the East End Fire Department, which has been part of the community since 1976, was leveled.
“It was built by donated labor,” Fire Chief Richard Blair said. “We had a 100-year lease [at $1 a year] from the school district for the land.”
Blair, who has been chief for 21 years, has lived through many storms, but never experienced a direct hit before.
“We’ve always been the ones to help when a tornado would come through,” he said. “But this time the shoe was on the other foot.”
They didn’t have to wait long for help. Within minutes, representatives from 10 different fire departments in the nearby areas arrived to sort through the damage.
“They came from as far away as Salem,” Blair said, “and they’ve all been fantastic.”
The help has continued to flow in - from many different sources.
“The Sardis Fire Department just showed up one day with a check from their fireman’s fund for $1,000,” Blair said. “We’re family, and we watch each other’s backs.”
Clear Channel Entertainment also joined the efforts to rebuild the fire department.
“They are a vital service to the community, and they’ve always been there to help others,” said Chad Heritage, program director of KSSN 96. “We wanted to help them get back on their feet as soon as possible.”
Clear Channel set up a storm-aid relief fund at Centennial Bank locations acrossArkansas. Also, fundraisers were held such as the David Nail concert at Juanita’s restaurant in Little Rock, which raised close to $800. That’s when Clear Channel got the idea to involve Joe Nichols, the Rogers native and Grammy Award-nominated country artist.
“He had been planning on doing a concert for us,” Heritage explained. “So we just called him up and asked him if he’d like to help the fire department.”
Nichols didn’t even hesitate.
“Let’s do it,” he said. “Let’s make it happen.”
The benefit concert was held July 7 at the Clear Channel Metroplex in Little Rock. Almost 2,000 people watched Nichols perform.
Members of the East End Baptist Church and the East End Fire Department sold T-shirts and served hot dogs during the show, while a fireman’s boot was passed around for donations. Along with the money from the storm aid accounts, $14,910.24 was raised.
“This fundraiser was more than any of us expected,” Blair said. “To see that many people come out and support us just did so much for morale. It was really incredible.”
The spot where the fire station once stood is now just a concrete slab, a mere shell of its former self.
“I’d like to say that we can start rebuilding now in six months,” Blair said. “But I’m just not sure.”
Blair learned in May that the fire department did not qualify for disaster funds from FEMA,and although the station did have some insurance coverage, to build the type of facility the community needs, Blair said they need close to $1 million.
“In addition to the money from the fundraisers, we also have a building account set up, and we also have CDs and savings accounts,” he said. “But we were really hoping for some federal assistance, and that justdidn’t happen. We wanted to build a state-of-the-art facility that would last for years, but we’re going to have to take another look and scale down some.”
But one thing is certain; the new fire station will have a safe room where families can take shelter from tornadoes.
“It’s important that we at least have that,” Blair said.
As for the community as a whole, residents have been rebuilding and repairing damage since the storm.
“They started right away,” Blair said. “There are a lot of homes that are already fixed. We don’t sit around in this community; wepick up the pieces and move on.”
Blair also has made Joe Nichols an honorary member of the fire department.
”He is so down to earth and was so helpful,” Blair said. “He didn’t have to do this, but he did.”
Tri-Lakes, Pages 58 on 07/22/2010