Jackson Fire Prevention Dinner Honors Firefighters Who Pulled Man From Garbage Truck, Crowns 2026 Queen

The Jackson Fire Prevention Dinner on Oct. 6 became a night of medals, a crown and a fitting interruption. The Jackson Volunteer Fire Department honored three firefighters for saving a man who had been crushed inside a garbage truck, introduced its 2026 Fire Prevention queen and her court, and celebrated a banquet tradition that is now 76 years old. Before any of that could begin, though, several of the honorees’ colleagues had to finish an emergency call.

A late start that proved the point

The dinner opened later than planned because a group of firefighters were still out on an incident that ended with a patient being transported by medical helicopter. They arrived after the call was handled, joining a room full of family members, supporters and community members who had come to celebrate the department.

Chief John Brown said the evening showed exactly why a department needs trained people and the right resources. The Jackson VFD was able to respond to a serious emergency and still carry on with its annual celebration at the same time.

“It just proves that we’re always ready no matter what,” Brown said.

For a volunteer department, that readiness is not a small thing. Volunteer firefighters answer calls from their homes, their workplaces and, as the dinner showed, from their own social events. Clarke County is served by a network of 15 fire departments, most of them staffed largely by volunteers who respond to fires, medical emergencies, wrecks and rescues across one of southwest Alabama’s most rural counties.

Life-saving medals for a rescue inside a garbage truck

The centerpiece of the night was the presentation of life-saving medals to firefighters Michael Conerly and Mindy Boldin and Capt. Chris Johnson for their work during a dangerous rescue earlier this year.

On Jan. 28, Jackson firefighters were dispatched to a garbage truck in which a man had become trapped. According to the department, the man had been sleeping in a dumpster and was picked up without anyone realizing he was inside. He was compacted twice inside the truck during a routine collection route before he was discovered.

To reach him, Boldin and Conerly climbed into the garbage truck itself and worked their way through the compacted debris. The man survived.

Garbage trucks use powerful hydraulic systems to compress waste so that more of it fits in each load. That makes the inside of a truck’s body an extremely hazardous place: debris is packed tightly, sharp and unstable materials can shift, and the space is cramped and difficult to work in. Rescuers in that situation must also make sure the truck’s machinery is shut down and cannot move while they are inside. The department’s recognition of Conerly, Boldin and Johnson reflects both the risk they took on and the outcome: a man who was crushed twice walked away with his life.

Incidents in which people sheltering in dumpsters are tipped into collection trucks have been reported across the country, and they often end in serious injury or death. The Jackson case is a reminder for anyone who sees someone sleeping in or near a commercial trash container to alert the property owner, the waste hauler or local authorities.

A tradition that began in 1950

The Fire Prevention Dinner is one of the longest-running traditions in the department’s calendar. It began in 1950 under Chief George Skipper, and the 2026 dinner marked its 76th year.

Over those decades, the banquet has served as the department’s annual chance to thank its members, recognize acts of service and introduce the young women who represent the department during Fire Prevention Week. It also gives the community a chance to see the volunteers who answer their calls out of their turnout gear and in the company of their families.

Madison Reed named 2026 Fire Prevention queen

Madison Reed was crowned the 2026 Fire Prevention queen. Reed is the daughter of Lauren and Brandon Reed and a senior at Jackson Academy.

Her resume is a full one. At Jackson Academy, she serves as Student Government Association president and is a two-time All-American cheerleader. She is also a Pine City Ambassador and is taking college courses as a dual-enrollment student at Coastal Alabama Community College.

Reed is a member of Rockville Baptist Church. After high school, she plans to pursue certification as a dental assistant and then earn a degree in dental hygiene.

Meet the 2026 Fire Prevention court

Four other high school seniors were named to the Fire Prevention court:

• Jordyn Parker, daughter of La Toya and Anthony Parker, a senior at Jackson High School
• Izabella Walker, daughter of Trista and Banks Walker, a senior at Jackson High School
• Zoey Rooks, daughter of Paige Parnell and Damien Rooks, a senior at Jackson High School
• Maddi Dunegan, daughter of Kaye and Blake Dunegan, a senior at Jackson Academy

The queen and court traditionally help the department carry its fire safety message into the community during Fire Prevention Week, appearing alongside firefighters at public events.

Fire Prevention Week continued in schools and a nursing home

The dinner was one piece of a full week of activities. The morning after the banquet, firefighters planned to gather at the downtown station for breakfast before heading out to visit local schools and a nursing home.

The department opened the week with church inspections followed by attending church services together, and on Wednesday, Oct. 7, it held its annual Fire Prevention Parade through Jackson, with lineup at 2:30 p.m. and the parade stepping off at 3:30 p.m.

This year’s national Fire Prevention Week, held Oct. 4-10, was organized around the National Fire Protection Association’s 2026 campaign, “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower!” The campaign focuses on lithium-ion batteries, which power phones, laptops, tools, toys, e-bikes and scooters and can overheat, catch fire or even explode when damaged or charged incorrectly.

The safe-charging habits the department has been sharing include:

• Use the cord and charger that came with the device, or one approved by the manufacturer.
• Charge devices on a hard, flat surface such as a table or desk, not on beds, couches or under pillows.
• Stop using a device that feels hot, swells, smokes or gives off a strange smell.
• Unplug devices once they are fully charged.
• Charge larger items, such as e-bikes, scooters and power tools, outside and away from exits.

Why Fire Prevention Week falls in October

Fire Prevention Week is held each year during the week that includes Oct. 9, in remembrance of the Great Chicago Fire, which began Oct. 8, 1871, and burned into Oct. 10. That fire killed more than 250 people, left about 100,000 people homeless and destroyed more than 17,400 structures. The observance has been held nationally since 1922 and is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association.

In small towns like Jackson, the week is less about history and more about relationships. When firefighters visit classrooms, children learn to recognize a firefighter in full gear as a helper rather than someone to hide from, and they take lessons about smoke alarms and escape plans home to their families. Visits to nursing homes reach older adults, who face a higher risk of dying in home fires and may need extra time or help to get out.

Residents who want to support the Jackson Volunteer Fire Department can start at home: test smoke alarms monthly, make and practice a home escape plan with two ways out of every room, and keep a clear path to doors and windows. Those simple steps make every volunteer’s job a little safer when the pager goes off.