Hemingway Fire Department receives Image Award. From left: Pam Matthews (Councilwoman), William Freeman (Town Administrator), Jimmy Chinnes (Councilman), Keith Baxley (Councilman), Eric Lewis (Fire Chief), John Michael Collins (Mayor), and Veronica Elliott (Councilwoman).
It’s taken years to see a renovation come to the Hemingway Fire Department but in 2023 the hard work of many paid off. As a result, the Williamsburg HomeTown Chamber presented the Department with the Image Award. The Image Award is presented to individuals, organizations and businesses who are members of Williamsburg HomeTown Chamber and who make a difference in their community through beautification and preservation of their property in Williamsburg County.
Two separate grants totaling $102,000 were used to upgrade technology such as battery-operated rescue tools and a cascade system (self-contained breathing apparatus). The grant funds also provided for the installation of a pair of black-framed, energy-efficient bay-doors and the addition to the back of the building by approximately 600 square feet to accommodate a new kitchen and training area. A fresh coat of paint and signage completed the transformation.
Town Administrator William Freeman contributed the successful renovation to Town Council. “It was truly the hard work of council,” said Freeman. “Their vision for what our citizens deserves is what made this possible.”
The renovation was made possible through USDA grants. USDA Rural Development forges partnerships with rural communities, funding projects that bring housing, community facilities, business guarantees, utilities and other services to rural America. Rural Development works with low-income individuals, state, local and Indian tribal governments, as well as private and nonprofit organizations and user-owned cooperatives.
