Tribal officials of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians broke ground on the new Big Cove Fire Station located in Kolanvyi (Big Cove) on the morning of Thursday, July 24. Shown, left to right, are Thomas Simmons, Chief of Cherokee Fire & Rescue; Elawodi (Yellowhill) Rep. Tom Wahnetah; Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks; Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) Rep. Jim Owle; Kolanvyi (Big Cove) Rep. Richard French; Taline Ugvwiyu (Vice Chief) Alan B. Ensley; Aniwodihi (Painttown) Rep. Michael Stamper; Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) Vice Chairman David Wolfe; and Tevin Smoker, Assistant Fire Chief with Cherokee Fire & Rescue. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Ground was broken on new additions to the Big Cove Fire Station in Kolanvyi (Big Cove) on the morning of Thursday, July 24. Tribal officials of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) joined staff from Cherokee Fire & Rescue for the event.
“The building was built in 2004 and has been added onto a couple times since then,” said Thomas Simmons, Chief of Cherokee Fire & Rescue. “But, our staffing levels have grown exponentially since then through the goodness of our Council and Chief’s offices. They’ve given the Big Cove Community the coverage that they deserve and we have outgrown our station. So, now we’re at the point where the station is going to catch up with our manpower.”
He added, “This is the beginning of a new future for our fire station up here and a quicker response and a healthier living environment that we have created.”
Thomas Simmons, Chief of Cherokee Fire & Rescue, speaks during Thursday’s groundbreaking event.
Fire Chief Simmons said his staff is community-minded and -centered in their approach to the work. “. So, you’ll see us out on EMS calls. You’ll see us out on rescue calls back on the trails, the waterfalls, and things like that. So, it’s not just fire that we do. You’ve all seen us at all the public education events. We’ll be out slip-sliding with the kids at the youth center also. That’s just to let them know that we support them. And, that’s our main job is to support the community, and this building is going to help us do that a little bit more comfortably.”
Rebecca Bowe, EBCI Project Management manager, said she’s excited to break ground on the project, “We’re excited to be here with Tom and the firemen. I’ve been working with these guys for at least two years on this project. I know it’s been a long time coming and we’re excited to finally be here.”
In describing the scope of the project, she noted, “We’re adding onto the station here. We’re extending out the back. We’re adding four bunk rooms so the guys don’t have to huddle up in one room anymore. They’ll have a little bit more space to stretch out in and have a little more privacy than they probably are used to. We’re adding a training room, and a living space, and a third bay to better serve the Big Cove Community.”
Kolanvyi Rep. Richard French said he is thankful for the project. “I thank everyone that’s made this possible to have this Fire Department built a little bit bigger to be a lot safer for our community. I know we fought a long time to get a station up here.
Hopefully this will be just the start of more to come for Big Cove community. We hope one day that we can get a substation for the police and EMS up here as well. We’re about 12 to 15 miles from town.”
He went on to thank the service of the Cherokee Fire & Rescue program. “They do a lot for this community, not just on their jobs here but anytime Free Labor needs them, or any kind of event we have in Big Cove, these men and women step up every day to come help us in our community, just like they do all the communities. So, be thankful for what we have, thankful for the Tribe, and thankful for all our hard-working employees that this tribe has that do this work for us. We do a lot of work in-house and a lot of times they don’t get the recognition that they deserve. We have some hard-working people.”
Taline Ugvwiyu (Vice Chief) Alan B. Ensley commented, “I don’t think you can give enough thanks to our Fire Department up here in Big Cove. Several Free Labor groups have been up here, and they’ve always been there doing more than their fair share. So, the Big Cove Community told me to share the thanks for the Fire Department for the work that you all do out in the community.
I always want to thank Council for their work and everything they do in appropriating the funds. We can present anything to Council, but if they don’t see fit to appropriate funds, it never gets off the ground.”
Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks closed the program with his remarks. “We have to grow as a tribe. We have to make sure that we’re meeting all these needs. I want to thank your staff here. You saved my mother- and father-in-law’s house from burning down just a few weeks ago. There’s nothing like getting that call saying you’ve got a fire at a family member’s house.
Emergency services is something that you don’t always think about until you need it. But, it’s a critical part of our operations and I’m proud of the team, proud of what we’re accomplishing.”
