Rescue House To Be Dedicated September 11th

The Herald Bulletin

September 5, 2009

By Brandi Watters, Staff Writer 

ANDERSON - Barbecue-scented smoke from a round, black broiler grill filled the air near old Anderson Fire Station 4 Saturday, tempting passers-by with pulled pork.

The hog roast was one of many fundraisers held over recent months in an attempt to raise money for the construction of a county rescue house.

The project is nearly complete, as evidenced by the foundation and floor waiting for a home on the once-vacant lot next to old station 4 at 830 W. Third St.

Once built, the fire rescue house will be a temporary home for families displaced by fire.

The man behind the effort, Anderson firefighter Skip Ockomon, snacked on his second plate of pulled pork as the event wound down Saturday. Ockomon reported that the pork had netted another $600 for the cause.

So far, about $40,000 in cash has been raised for the rescue house. Much of that was used to buy the land where the foundation now sits.

The home waiting to be constructed was donated by Ready Corporation, which builds homes that can be assembled in days, instead of months.

Walls come packaged in cardboard boxes and roll into place along metal tracks.

The home is now sitting in pieces in the garage of the old fire station, waiting for volunteers to pull it together.

Edward Gibbs, an Edgewood volunteer firefighter, helped take down tables at the hog roast on Saturday and has been helping fire officials get the rescue house built nearly every day.

Ockomon said the 21-year-old works the graveyard shift at his regular job and then dedicates his time to the rescue house effort. 

“I believe in a good cause, just want to be around to help,” Gibbs said.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help assemble the fire rescue house should call Skip Ockomon at 425-1936.

Ockomon estimated that walls would be erected this Tuesday and Wednesday, just in time for a dedication to take place on Sept. 11.

The dedication will double as a ceremony to honor police and firefighting personnel who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York City.

The event, which will take place at 2 p.m., is expected to be attended by fire chiefs from around the county.

On Sept. 26, Ockomon and fire officials will attempt to raise more funds for the fire rescue house at an auction, dance and ribfest at the Paramount Theatre from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Contact Brandi Watters 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com.