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Park Service Thanks Firefighters For Saving Johnson Homestead

Sun Photo by Phil Gentry National Park Service Southeast Region Director David Vela, third from left, presents a plaque to Greeneville Fire Chief Mark Foulks during a Thursday “thank you” luncheon, for the firefighters who saved the Andrew Johnson Homestead from a July 31 fire that destroyed the adjacent Bernard Warehouse No. 2. Also pictured are representatives of two volunteer fire departments that battled the warehouse blaze. Pictured, from left, are Tusculum Volunteer Department Assistant Chief Eric Roberts, Tusculum VFD Lt. Nick Bailey, Vela, Foulks, DeBusk VFD Chief Regie Jones and DeBusk VFD Assistant Chief Bryan Cannon.

Source: The Greeneville Sun
by Bill Jones
Date: 2008-09-20

The National Park Service at a Thursday luncheon officially thanked the local firefighters who prevented a July 31 warehouse fire from spreading to the Andrew Johnson Homestead on South Main Street.
 
Firefighters from the Greeneville Fire Department and the DeBusk and Tusculum volunteer fire departments fought the fire that destroyed the warehouse and prevented it from spreading to the cedar shake roof of the Andrew Johnson Homestead only 60 feet from the blazing warehouse.
 
The barbecue luncheon was held on the rear lawn of the Andrew Johnson Homestead less than 100 feet from the Bernard Warehouse No. 2, which was destroyed by a deliberately set fire in the early morning hours of July 31.
 
During the luncheon Lizzie Watts, superintendent of the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, thanked the firefighters and introduced David Vela, southeast regional director of the National Park Service.
 
Watts said of the firefighters, "They are our heroes."
 
She said this community is lucky to have such dedicated groups of firefighters to protect lives and property.
 
"The local staff of the National Park Service deeply appreciates firefighters going out of their way to preserve a special local place that also happens to be the home of the 17th President," Watts said.
 
"That is something that years from now when they're telling their grandchildren stories they can say they saved one of the national treasures. From our hearts we can't thank them any more."
 
She noted that local firefighters take very seriously their special responsibility to protect lives and property.
 
Vela said after the luncheon that he was honored to participate in the luncheon.
 
"It was a true honor and privilege to be with all the firefighters and first-responders to help celebrate what they did on that day," Vela said. "It was amazing when you look at the devastation (in the warehouse) the tremendous efforts that they made to save an important piece of American history."
 
Vela thanked all the firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel and other first-responders.
 
"We are so grateful for what they did," Vela said. "All the first responders did an amazing job. We just wanted to thank them for what they did on behalf of the National Historic Site."
 
Vela said he personally thanked all the firefighters who were able to attend the luncheon.
 
"Each day firefighters and other first responders put their lives on the line for us and for our properties," he said. "But we don't always offer thanks where thanks are due. This was our opportunity to offer thanks."
 
During his remarks, Vela recalled that he worked as a federal agent in New York City and daily took the subway to the World Trade Center before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, destroyed the twin towers.
 
Vela noted that the same courage and selflessness exhibited by New York City firefighters who rushed to their deaths trying to help people trapped in the World Trade Center's towers on 9/11 is exhibited daily by other firefighters across the nation.
 
Vela also said he was impressed by his first visit to Greeneville, and promised to return in the future.
 
"People there are obviously passionate about their history," he said. "I was honored to be part of it on Wednesday and Thursday."
 
Vela said he plans to return to Greeneville again. "This was my first visit, but it won't be my last," he said.
 
He also said he was honored to have Greeneville Mayor Laraine King and Alderman Sarah Webster in attendance at the luncheon.
 
Greeneville Fire Chief Mark Foulks, DeBusk VFD Chief Regie Jones, Tusculum VFD Assistant Chief Eric Roberts, DeBusk VFD Assistant Chief Bryan Cannon and Tusculum VFD Lt. Nick Bailey accepted plaques and certificates from National Park Service Southeastern Regional Director Vela during the luncheon.
 
A total of 17 Greeneville Fire Department firefighters were able to attend the luncheon and receive their certificates of appreciation.
 
Chief Foulks Comments
 
GFD Chief Foulks said his department was honored to have been recognized by the National Park Service. "We really appreciate the recognition," he said.
 
Noting that he just passed his second anniversary as the department's chief, Foulks said he had found firefighters who were "dedicated to safety of the citizens of Greeneville" when he became chief.
 
"We've built on that through training," he said. "I appreciate the tremendous job they've (firefighters) done."
 
Chief Foulks said he also greatly appreciated the help his department received from the Tusculum and DeBusk VFDs and the Greene County Chapter of the American Red Cross in battling the warehouse fire.
 
DeBusk Chief Jones recalled after the event that his department had sent one fire engine and eight firefighters to assist the Greeneville Fire Department in battling the warehouse fire that threatened the Andrew Johnson Homestead.
 
He noted that the Tusculum VFD sent two trucks and 13 firefighters to assist the Greeneville Fire Department as well.
 
Fire Described
 
During an Aug. 1 press conference, Greeneville Police Chief Terry Cannon summed up how close the fire came to seriously damaging the Andrew Johnson Homestead.
 
"We lost one historic site (the warehouse, which was a historic city landmark that was being renovated to be a museum)," Chief Cannon said, while adding, "We came close to losing a second one (the Andrew Johnson Homestead)."
 
Watts, superintendent of the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, said during the same Aug. 1 press conference that firefighters saved the former home of President Andrew Johnson, which was built in 1851, by putting out flames that were burning a towering elm tree that partially hung over the home's roof.
 
"Firefighters did save the house. There's no doubt in my mind," Watts said in an Aug. 1 interview with The Greeneville Sun. She added, "We are very, very fortunate. You know, a national treasure was saved."
 
Watts also thanked Kent Bewley, owner of the destroyed warehouse, for being on the scene of the fire and alerting and diverting firefighting efforts to two elm trees -- one large, and one smaller one -- and a long row of hemlock trees on the property.
 
"Bewley (told the firefighters) that the hemlocks (which were burning) could explode" as they burned up, endangering the nearby Homestead, according to Watts.
 
A majority of Greeneville's 43 full-time firefighters were called early in the morning of July 31 to battle the raging fire that destroyed the warehouse and threatened the historic Andrew Johnson Homestead, home of the 17th president, and managed by the National Park Service.
 
Normally, only one-third of the city's firefighters are on duty.
 
Firefighters normally work a 24-hour and 15-minute shift, then are off duty for two days.
 
However, upon his arrival at the block-long fire, Capt. Steve Louderback, called all the city's firefighters to report.
 
As is the operational plan, Fire Chief Mark Foulks said, some firefighters were held in reserve at their stations in case they were needed to respond to other fires.
 
Chief Foulks said in an interview after the fire that upon arriving at the fire, he took command, but because the warehouse is very long and fire was raging throughout the building, he directed firefighters on the building's end near College Street, while Louderback assumed command of operations at the building's other end near Main Street.
 
Two Charged
 
Two young Greeneville men were charged with setting the fire that destroyed the warehouse and threatened the Andrew Johnson Homestead.
 
Matthew Keith Rose, 18, of 107 York Drive, and Jory Ramirez, 18, of 318 Cypress Street, are scheduled to take part in a change of plea hearing in U.S. District Court here at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24.