Southampton County Fire and Rescue Service receives ‘monumental’ donation

SOUTH HAMPTON COUNTY, VA. Vast fields and acres of tall trees make Southampton County home to so many people.

While country roads have their advantages, they also have difficult access areas for emergency vehicles.

“As a predominantly rural community, we respond to farm accidents, hunting accidents and a whole host of emergencies that many of your city departments don’t respond to,” says Greg Vick, president of Southampton County Fire and Rescue.

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Vick says on multiple occasions, responders have encountered problems during calls due to the rural nature of the area.

“In the past, many times our responders had to walk to help someone, which was just an unnecessary drain on our resources,” Vick says.

Realizing they could do something, the Southampton County Women’s Leadership Committee got to work. In partnership with Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance, Jeanette Everett and her team raised more than $35,000.

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“You just have no idea how excited I am about this,” Everett says.

They used the money to donate an all-terrain vehicle (RTV), medical ramp and transport trailer to Southampton County Fire and Rescue.

“We’ve had cases over the past year where it could have been so beneficial, but we didn’t,” Everett says.

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Vic says it’s difficult to find financing at the moment and they can’t afford to buy it.

“The sheer cost of all the equipment involved prevented us from achieving our goal in the near future,” says Vic.

Although it took more than four years to get to this point, Everett says it was a personal occasion for her and everyone present at the giving ceremony.

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“My family is in the field now, they are on a farm far away from here, and if something happens, no one will be able to get to them. It’s like something we need in the county,” she says.

Vick says the equipment will benefit ten fire departments and five ambulance services in Southampton County, as well as the city of Franklin.

“The Women’s Committee never gave up. They persevered and we are here today and we are extremely grateful,” says Vic.

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Not only were they able to purchase equipment that would change the life of the county, but they also founded a non-profit organization and established a fund for future scholarships.

The ladies are just getting started too, they hope to soon be able to donate a second RTV and trailer to Fire and Rescue.

“It may not be done in a week, a day or a month. It may take years, but don’t give up because it will be worth it in the end,” says Everett.