On September 7, Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker joined Petal Mayor Tony Ducker, Lamar County BOS President Warren Byrd, Forrest County BOS President David Hogan, Forrest County District 2 Supervisor Sharon Thompson, Lamar County EMA Director James Smith and Hattiesburg Fire Chief Sherrocko Stewart to announce a collaborative effort to support residents in Jackson during its water crisis.
Through Friday, September 16, residents can drop off donations of unopened plastic water bottles at fire stations throughout the Pine Belt. Then, local emergency management agencies will help transport the water to provide support to Jackson residents through Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and its distribution points.
“Our area isn’t a stranger to hard times. During our hardest days, our friends from all over the state have stepped in to help,” said Barker. “Today, we’re more than glad to pay that forward through a collaborative approach with the City of Petal, Lamar County and Forrest County.”
Byrd added, “When the mayor reached out to us about partnering on a water drive, we willingly stepped up. From fires and tornadoes, our area has always been able to be resilient due to others’ kindness. So we urge our residents across counties to grab an extra case and drop it off at any of our local stations.”
Hogan added, “From Katrina and the latest tornadoes in 2013 and 2017, residents of the Pine Belt saw so many step in to help. Jackson is a sister city, and we ask all our residents to help if they can in order to pay that forward.”
Ducker added, “It’s very important that we do something of this nature. When we were in similar situations through natural disasters where we were without water and power, others stepped forward. At the end of the day, it’s the little acts like an extra case of water that means someone cares – and now is the time we get to do the same for others.”
There are more than 25 locations throughout Forrest and Lamar Counties where unopened water bottles can be dropped off. A full list of participating stations and municipal buildings are located below:
City of Hattiesburg Fire Stations
- Fire Station #1 - 810 Main Street, Hattiesburg
- Fire Station #3 - 53 Academy Drive, Ste 1, Hattiesburg
- Fire Station #4 - 5033 Hwy 42, Hattiesburg
- Fire Station #5 - 922 E Hardy Street, Hattiesburg
- Fire Station #6 - 3804 Montague Boulevard, Hattiesburg
- Fire Station #7 - 46 Parkway Boulevard, Hattiesburg
- Fire Station #8 - 104 Lamar Boulevard, Hattiesburg
- Fire Station #9 – 7460 Hwy 49 North, Hattiesburg
City of Petal
- City Hall - 119 W 8th Avenue, Petal
- John E. Anderson Fire Station #1 - 102 Fairchild Drive, Petal
- Station #2 - 109 West Eighth Avenue, Petal
- Station #3 - 1187 Highway 42, Petal
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Forrest County Volunteer Fire Stations
- North Forrest - 2315 Glendale Avenue, Hattiesburg
- Dixie - 19 Dixie Barn Road, Hattiesburg
- Sunrise - 1071 Luther Carter Road, Hattiesburg
- McLaurin - 310 Carter Road, Hattiesburg
- Brooklyn - 48 Old Hwy 49 W to Brooklyn Road, Brooklyn
- Macedonia - 609 Macedonia Road, Petal
- Carnes - 268 John Morris Road, Lumberton
- Rawls Springs - 512 Archie Smith Road, Hattiesburg
Lamar County Volunteer Fire Stations
- Sumrall – 54 Pine Street
- Purvis – 805 Main Street
- Lumberton – 21 N First Street
- Oak Grove – 2536 Old Hwy 24
- Northeast Lamar Station 2 – 5502 West 4th Street
- Northeast Lamar Station 1 – 753 Weathersby Road
- Central Lamar - 1 Keystone Drive
