Blue Springs chief wins state award

By Staff
Melissa Cason
BLUE SPRINGS – The Blue Springs Volunteer Fire Department received a big surprise this week.
The group of volunteers learned last week that their fire chief had won a state firefighter award.
Fire Chief Mary Hallman didn't know she was the winner of the award nor did any of her firefighters.
Last week, she was given the Sherri Garner Memorial Award, a state award given to a female firefighter each year by the Alabama Association of Volunteer Firefighters.
The award was named for Sherri Garner, the first female firefighter to be killed in the line of duty in Alabama.
"I knew I was nominated, but we had no idea I had won it," Hallman said. "I never thought I'd win any kind of award, but I am really excited about it, and thankful."
Her department and the community nominated her.
"Our members here, and the community wrote letters on my behalf," Hallman said.
"That means a lot to me. I couldn't do anything here without the support of the members and the community. They are all great."
Hallman grew up in the Blue Springs Volunteer Fire Department. Her parents, Alton and Shirley Hallman, helped found the department 28 years ago.
"I grew up around the department," she said. "It's funny. Our parents used to have to drag us to the department, and now it's a part of our lives."
Hallman has been a member of the fire department since turning 18. She has served as chief for the last 10 years.
"We are a family here," Hallman said. "Not just our department, but all the fire departments around. We are all family."
Since becoming chief, Hallman has received grant money for new turnout gear, air packs and a new fire truck.
"I kept working on grants, and they kept being rejected," she said. "So, it got to the point we really needed equipment. It was time to ask for help."
She turned to Russellville Fire Chief Joe Mansell, who put her in contact with Capt. Steve Thornton.
"I knew Steve, but I didn't know he wrote grants," Hallman said. "So he wrote the grants for the equipment and the truck."
Hallman picked up the new fire truck in April.
Hallman isn't the first firefighter from Franklin County to win this award.
Tharptown firefighter Janice Pennington won the award last year, and the late Betty Gober won the award the first year it was given.