Firefighter - 2020 - 30

30

Truck and station damage following Hurricane Michaelin 2018

provided hundreds of meals a day to the community.
"We were cut, we were bleeding, but we weren't dead yet.
We learned a lot of lessons; lessons you hope you never have
to use again," Chief Jody says, "everybody wanted to take care
of each other. We were already a tight knit group, but when you
have something like that...it restored my faith in humanity."
The storm took a toll on Doyle and he retired shortly after,
but he is still very much involved with the department, and
continues to carry a radio on his hip every day. Assistant Chief,
Chase McClellen calls him the backbone of this community.
"He taught me everything I know about firefighting. We would
not be where we are without him."
But as a department built based on a need in the area,
even today Kinard credits much of their success to the help
of the community. They rely on grants, fundraisers, and
maintaining good relationships with those they serve. For the
last 30 years, they've hosted their 'Old Fashioned Halloween
Carnival' on the last Saturday of every October. It's their main
means of income. "The first one we had, we borrowed $350.
Now that won't pay for the peanuts we cook. We get about

Original and current members of the Kinard Volunteer FD.
L-R: Dan Davis, Jimmy Yon, Rodney Johnson, Jody Daniels,
Johnny Skipper, Doyle Daniels, Chase McClellan, Odean Flowers

4,000 people," said Doyle. "I couldn't ask for a better
community to support us."
Risking their own lives to voluntarily help others speaks
volumes for what these men and women at Kinard do every
day. For them, there's more to it than just fighting fires. "You
have to want to help people. There's no way I can just sit back
knowing my community needs help." Doyle said. "Being a Fire
Chief in a rural community, I never knew if I was a doctor, a
minister...you wear so many hats. I'm almost 65 years old;
I've cried with a lot of folks, I've prayed with a lot of folks..
words can't really express it."
As the department continues to grow each year with
Chief Jody behind the wheel, their goal now is to eventually
get more, newer trucks, revamp their stations with sleeping
quarters, get more of the community involved, and of course
respond to every call they receive. Despite every challenge
they've faced since 1973, they've persevered and came out
even stronger. With a long history behind them, they'll help
every neighbor with the past in mind, and never forget where
they came from. FSFA

Chief Daniels, his grandson John Franklin,
and his son Jody Daniels (Current Chief)
Firefighter - 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Firefighter - 2020
