Perry

Certified FireWise Community

The original Perry County FireWise Board was organized on Oct. 6, 2003 at the Max Milam Branch Library in Perryville. Eight of the 13 county volunteer fire departments were represented and received wildfire risk assessment training. The original Perry County FireWise Board members were Troy Glenn, chair and Cherry Hill Volunteer Fire Department Captain; Harold Walden, vice-chair and Perry VFD Chief; Deb Hechtel-Walden, secretary/treasurer and Perry VFD Assistant Chief; Joel Woolf, Perry VFD Chief; Ben Lee, Perry VFD Chief; Richard Wade, Adona VFD Chief; Tom Caton, Wye VFD (West Pulaski) Chief; Nelson Anderson, Harris Brake VFD Chief; Wayne Reed, Bigelow VFD Chief; Chris Lewis, Cherry Hill VFD Chief; Eric Robinson, Casa VFD Chief; Robert McNeal, Nimrod VFD Chief; Lee Adams, Williams Junction VFD Chief; Scott Erwin, Houston VFD Chief; Wayne Hill, Hollis VFD Chief; Glenn Gregg, Stony Point VFD Chief; Larry Moore, AFC Ranger; Michael Bean, U.S. Forest Service-Jessieville Ranger District/Assistant FMO; Lester Rose, U.S. Forest Service-Winona Ranger District/Retired; Ann Offield, Perry County OEM Coordinator; Becky Latture, Perry County 911 Coordinator; True Robinson, Perry County Judge; Don Galbraith, GEMS Ambulance owner;

In the summer of 2004, the volunteer fire departments surveyed their communities and made a Firewise plan for each town.

In the fall the board was reorganized into nine separate boards and nine towns — Adona, Cherry Hill, Harris Brake, Hollis, Houston, Nimrod, Perry, Thornburg and Williams Junction. All were recognized as certified Firewise Communities/USA on Dec. 21, 2004.