Pineville Fire Department Reports Busy Year

The Pineville Rural Fire Department had a very busy but good year, according to assistant chief Robert Drake.

He said the department responded to a lot of medical calls, which were the majority of the department's calls. The department, luckily, did not have many structure fires, he said. Motor vehicle accidents, medical calls and grass fires made up the bulk of the department's calls over the past year, he said.

The department has two new firefighters, Adam Bailey and Josh Blount. The department did not purchase any new equipment this year.

Jesse James Days, the department's major fundraiser, raised $19,000, he said. Jesse James Days is held on the square in Pineville during the month of August. It traces its history back to the 1938 Jesse James film, which was filmed in and around Pineville. Many local residents were hired as extras for the film. Every year to celebrate the making of the film, the festival is held, with proceeds going to the fire department. The festival includes a carnival, booths, live music, a pageant, a chicken dinner and more.

Also this year, Captain Gregg Sweeten won an essay contest and a trip to Lynchburg, Tenn. The essay contest was about his best day as a volunteer firefighter. On the trip he got to tour a volunteer fire department manned by employees of the Jack Daniels distillery, along with the distillery itself. In his essay, Sweeten wrote about how his youngest daughter Kalee had joined the Pineville Rural Fire Department.