Unsung Heroes Presented with Firefighters Creed Awards

Unsung Heroes Presented

with Firefighters Creed Awards

Mobile, AL – The month of October brings Fall weather, chili cook-offs, pumpkin everything, local fairs, and many noteworthy causes and occasions – breast and prostate cancer awareness month, the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, and national fire prevention week to name a few. The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department works to maintain active participation in community events, and two of MFRD’s favorites – Captain Dwight Smith and Fire Service Driver Percy Harris, Jr - labor tirelessly, behind the scenes to ensure continued support in most every aspect of Mobile.

The City of Mobile’s fire department is an all-hazards department, capable of responding to most any emergency situation. However, Mobile Fire-Rescue serves its neighborhoods, communities, churches, schools, and businesses in more than just an emergency capacity. For many years, Captain Smith and Driver Harris have epitomized the compassionate selflessness and commitment to service in which MFRD places the utmost pride. This Fall, these firefighters continued their dedicated work in efforts to provide the citizens and communities of Mobile with positive support and uplifting programs.

Captain Dwight Smith leads MFRD’s Public Education Division, providing the public with necessary home safety, fire prevention, and fire education programs. He coordinates weekly show & tells and presentations at local schools, churches, businesses, and community organizations. Keeping up with the schedule that he maintains can be exhausting, but he continues the job, even meaning working late into most evenings and on weekends. Captain Smith took on the heavy task of coordinating this Fall’s Fire Safety Expo, providing a free educational expo to the public on October 12^th. The Fire Safety Expo was a very large undertaking which required many stressful hours to coordinate, considering logistics of trucks, food, equipment, personnel, and more, acquiring food for the public, scheduling proper clean-up, and more. Captain Smith made the Expo more than just a Mobile Fire-Rescue event with presentations and demonstrations for the public. With him at the helm, the Fire Safety-Expo became a coordinated event, representing many of Mobile’s departments, including Public Works, City Garage, Parks & Recreations, Special Events, Electrical Department, Litter & Recycling, and more. Not only was the Expo a successful event, but Captain Smith also coordinated a firefighter parade at the University of South Alabama’s Children’s & Women’s Hospital the day prior. Fire crews, led by Captain Smith and Sparky the Dog, visited juvenile patients at the Children’s & Women’s Hospital, providing them with uplifted energy, smiles, trinkets, treats, joy, and a little bit of fire safety education.

Not to be outdone, however, are the thunderous efforts of Fire Service Driver/Investigator Percy Harris, Jr. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which represents a time for remembrance and heartache for some, a time for celebration for others, but a month to bring awareness and support for all afflicted by breast cancer. For several years, the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department’s name has been tied with breast cancer awareness, research, community service, and support, and it’s all thanks to Fire Service Driver Percy Harris, Jr. Though community activism is the job of all fire department personnel, Driver Harris takes a particularly focused approach for breast cancer awareness.

The City of Mobile’s citizens grow especially excited each year for MFRD’s “Heroes Helping Heroes” branded breast cancer t-shirts, as well as the “big, pink fire truck” which makes special appearances throughout the month of October leading up to American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Breast Cancer Awareness Walk. Each year, without directive, Driver Harris spends hours of his own time designing the t-shirts, scheduling events, coordinating the sale and distribution of shirts through MFRD and local hospitals, handling the logistics for the breast cancer fire truck, and more. 

With the truck in dire need of upkeep and repairs, Driver Harris worked with MFRD’s Fleet & Facilities to procure an upgraded truck in order to keep the tradition of having a pink fire truck at breast cancer events alive and well. He has even met with local hospital staff and administration regarding joint breast cancer awareness programs. Through all of his efforts, Driver Harris was able to coordinate having the newer engine wrapped in pink, and Springhill Medical’s Breast Cancer Center is serving as a distribution center for MFRD breast cancer t-shirts, while the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute has donated funds toward upgrading the pink fire truck. The funds collected during the “Heroes Helping Heroes” t-shirt campaigns contribute to breast cancer research and medical expenses of local breast cancer heroes. Driver Harris carries a passion for helping and continues to make strides and provide days of time and energy toward continuous support for fighters of breast cancer, survivors, and their families.

For their service, the Fire Chief Mark Sealy and the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department are proud and honored to present Fire Service Captain Dwight Y. Smith and Fire Service Driver Percy Harris, Jr. with the Firefighters Creed Award, presented to any firefighter whose actions “exemplify the Firefighters’ Creed, that is, selfless acts not associated with his or her respective duties and performed solely for the purpose of rendering aid to and individual or the community.”