HUNTINGTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The long-anticipated presentation of Huntington’s Mayor Joseph L. Williams Jr. Fire Station has been scheduled to take place early next month with a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The station has been part of an ongoing effort which has progressed at a notable rate, and takes its name from Mayor Joseph L. Williams Jr., former Mayor of Huntington, who current Mayor Steve Williams referred to as a friend and mentor at a public groundbreaking ceremony for the station held in mid-June of last year.
“So much of what we’ve been attempting to do the last ten years is to make sure that our property is protected [and] that our citizens are properly protected,” said Mayor Steve Williams at the ceremony.
“We will not be satisfied with anything less than the Huntington Fire Department being the best professional fire department in the nation. That’s what the citizens of our city deserve, and certainly that’s what every member of the Huntington Fire Department endeavors to accomplish.”
Mayor Williams presented the former Mayor Williams and namesake inspiration for the department, Mayor Joseph L. Williams Jr., who expressed gratitude for being honored with the gesture.
“This is something that I never expected. It humbles me, and I’m honored,” said Williams during the ceremony.
“If there’s a call, they will go – sometimes jeopardizing their own health and well-being in order to protect people, their homes, their property, and in many cases, saving their lives. I don’t think there’s a greater love for humankind than when you’re willing to sacrifice yourself to protect others. Having said that, I can say that it’s quite an honor to be associated with [this] group of men and women of the Huntington Fire Department, and I thank all involved in our new fire station which will enhance the entire Fairfield community.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mayor Joseph L. Williams Jr. Fire Station is scheduled to be held on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at 1:30pm at the station’s 1952 9th Avenue location in Huntington, WV.
Additional LOOTPRESS coverage for the Huntington area can be seen here.