BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. — The Circle Volunteer Fire Department now has a new fire engine, a gift from the SC Forestry Commission. Fire officials tell us it will replace the fire engine that was destroyed while crews were responding to a call for help during Hurricane Helene.
A firefighter and the department's fire chief lost their lives during that tragic incident.
In a small ceremony Monday night, firefighters, family and SC Forestry Commission representatives gathered to celebrate a new fire engine for a department in healing.
"I just want to say thank you. It means a lot ... carrying on the Chad and Landon legacy," said John Sharpe, new Circle Fire Department chief.
Chad Satcher and Landon Cale Bodie died in the early morning hours of Septemebr 27 when Hurricane Helene hit the Midlands. A tree falling on the Circle Volunteer Fire Department's main structure engine.
Now, because of the Federal Firefighter Property Program and the SC Forestry Commission, this local volunteer fire department didn't have to pay one penny for it.
"Once a week we get the opportunity to put in for used military equipment, things that the military no longer wants. So we put in for it and we usually have to wait a two week period to find out whether we got it or not. But following hurricane, they allowed us to put in, send them a justification for it and they shortened the time frame that we had to wait," said Jonathan Calore, assistant law enforcement chief of the SC Forestry Commission.
Calore said the department covered the cost of shipping this fire engine from Arizona.
"It's a great thing. Hopefully, for them, this helps the healing process. It's, it's never easy when you lose somebody, especially when it was doing something that they love," Calore said.
This fire department said they're so grateful.
"It was probably a week or two later. I got a phone call and they're like, hey, we can probably get this truck for you. We can probably make that work. So they made the phone calls and made it happen for us. We're ecstatic," said Mark Lybrand, fire coordinator of the Saluda County fire service.
Lybrand said the community really came together to support them.
"The gratitude we have for everybody. We had citizens just come out from everywhere during the storm. I mean, they were helping cut trees, they were bringing food, they were doing everything. I mean, it's just so great to have a community like we have here," Lybrand said. "It's been a very tough rebuilding process for them for sure because both firefighters were from this station, so it was very hard on them for sure. We're just looking to, you know, see some, some new equipment get in here, start see some smiles back on some faces."
The SC Forestry Commission said the truck will officially become the Circle Volunteer Fire Department's property once all program operations requirements are met.