History
On March 25, 1980, a group of 25 concerned citizens gathered in the cafeteria at Biggersville High School to discuss starting a volunteer fire department to protect their community. From this meeting, the Biggersville Volunteer Fire Department was born. With the guidance of Corinth Fire Chief James Young, seven of the citizens stepped forward to become the first members of the new fire department. These were James Yancey, Billy Brawner, Leroy Marlar, Bill Bagwell, Tony Morton, Kenny Killough and Martin Huggins. During the meeting, a collection was taken to start the funding for the department. A total of $52 was received in donations that night.
It was from these humble beginings that our department has grown. The current members of Biggersville Fire & Rescue proudly honor these men for their work and sacrifice toward the protection of their community by continuing to diligently work to save lives and property.
Below is a list of our past Fire Chiefs and their terms of service:
Bill Bagwell: 1980 - 1991
Edward Settle: 1991 - 2001
Jim Kinney: 2001 - 2008
James Bryant: 2008 - 2009
Patrick Claunch: 2009 - Present
Patch
Our uniform patch is displayed on department dress uniforms and some response/duty clothing. It proudly stands out from any other patch designs with its vibrant yellow and red color scheme. Displaying the year of our charter and the department motto, this patch is truly individual to Biggersville Fire & Rescue. We gladly "swap" patches with other fire, police and EMS departments across the nation and anywhere in the world. For more information, please CONTACT US.
Department Motto
In 2009, Biggersville Fire & Rescue adopted the motto, "Our Family Protecting Yours". The members of the Department felt that this simple phrase perfectly captured the purpose of their efforts. As a volunteer, you quickly become close to those that you serve with -- before long, you are practically family. It is this binding quality that makes the heart of a volunteer fire department so special to its members and the community that it serves. This motto is reflected in the Biggersville Fire & Rescue uniform patch, on all department vehicles and on all publications.
Meetings
Business Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00pm. These meetings are open to the public and held to discuss the day-to-day operations of the department, financial reports and call volume information. Any person wanting to find out more about becoming a member is encouraged to attend these meetings.
Training Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7:00pm. These meeting focus on training and any maintenance issues. The State of Mississippi requires all firefighters, both career and volunteer, to participate in a minimum of 2 hours of training per month. Training ranges from operation of equipment to any number of emergency scenarios to beeter prepare responders to meet the needs of their community.
Annual Officer Elections: Officer elections are conducted on the second Tuesday of August each year.
Fire Stations
North Station & Helipad: In November 2011, thanks to the Assistance to Firefighters Station Construction Grant (ARRA-SCG) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the North Station was opened. Biggersville Fire & Rescue was the only recipient of the ARRA-SCG in the State of Mississippi. The award is the largest AFG/FEMA grant awarded in the history of Alcorn County.
South Station: Soon after the start of the department, a small piece of land was donated by the Dees Family for the construction of a fire station on Alcorn County Road 513, near Highway 45. That fire station is still in operation today. In addition to day-to-day activities of a fire station, the building is also used as a voting preceint and host to community events sponsered by Biggersville Fire & Rescue.
Apparatus & Equipment
To see photos and learn more about our Apparatus & Equipment, CLICK HERE.