August 30, 2021 - Area fire departments honored the passing of Perry Pugh, Joaquin Fire Chief, August 20, 2021.
Fire departments represented included Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department, Center Fire Department, Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department, Huxley Volunteer Fire Department, Timpson Volunteer Fire Department, Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department, Woods Volunteer Fire Department, Carthage Fire Department, and DeSoto Fire District 5.
Ladder trucks from the Center Fire Department and Carthage Fire Department were deployed with the American Flag flying from each of them.
Each of the Joaquin fire trucks had a black ribbon hanging from the grill of the truck as well as a photo of Chief Pugh.
Following Pugh's funeral, the procession was led by Constable Precinct 3, Tenaha Police Department, and a long line of fire department trucks which traveled to Joaquin Cemetery in Joaquin, where Pugh was laid to rest.
Chief Pugh has been the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department's chief since 2010. Pugh was honored multiple times in 2015 at the Christmas Awards banquet. "There's no person in the room that we're more proud of than our leaders, and our leader, and we appreciate him and we appreciate his experience," said fireman Rusty Wilson. Wilson presented a service award to Chief Perry Pugh in recognition of his 40 years of service with the JVFD. "We could not do without his experience and his years behind the JVFD."
Pugh received his award and reminisced on when he first felt the desire to become a fireman, "1976 my brother, three years older than me, he came home one evening and he had a yellow fire hat in his hand. I said, 'what are you doing with that?' He said, 'I just joined the fire department.' Him and Mike and Ike Cummings and James Walker, they all joined the same night, and I knew then I was next."
Fireman Jessie Griffith then presented the Fireman of the Year award to Chief Perry Pugh.
Like many fire departments, Joaquin's VFD is a family and they will greatly miss the head of their family.
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