First responders celebrate Thanksgiving in their own way

HENDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — While many West Tennesseans are home enjoying a meal with friends and family this Thanksgiving, some have to be constantly prepared for whenever duty calls.

“Here at the station, we cook thanksgiving and hang out together because this is our second family, so we make due. We have to protect the citizens,” said Jamie Peterson, driver for the Jackson Fire Department.

First responders we spoke with say, they are here to help the community 24/7, whether it be a holiday or not.

“If you take into consideration the amount of military personnel or troops that we have deployed that are going to be away from their families for weeks, months, even years; I can’t really complain about having to spend a couple hours away from my family,” said Sgt. Stephen Clark of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department.

Both the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department and Station 5 in the city of Jackson, were both celebrating in their own way.

“I enjoy working with these guys up here, and ladies, and they’ve really made it feel like home in the holidays, and working together, and everybody’s pretty tight,” said Travis Dunavant of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department.

We asked team members what is the holiday dish they can’t live without.

“Probably ham and my mothers homemade roles,” Peterson said. “She makes the roles from scratch, and they’re the best in the world.”

“Definitely turkey and dressing. It just reminds me of family and home,” said David Maness of the Jackson Fire Department.

And we asked what they are most thankful for this season.

“I’m just thankful for my family for being so supportive and letting me do a job that keeps us away on the holiday, and I’m thankful for the guys that I work around being a second family,” said Drew Carroll of the Jackson Fire Department.

“I’m thankful for my health, my family, because without family it would be tough,” Peterson said, “so my family’s healthy and I’m truly blessed.”

Some first responders told us that they celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday this past weekend, or plan on celebrating it Friday night with their friends and families.