On Friday, Pearl River Central Middle School hosted a field day that brought together local responders and emergency services to showcase their equipment and vehicles to the school’s students. Various departments, including the Mcneil Volunteer Fire Department, Picayune Police with their K-9 unit, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Lamar County Fire Services, and Pearl River County Joint Search and Rescue, participated in the event.

Now in its third year, this annual event was initially conceived by teacher and emergency responder Tammy Hawthorne. The inspiration for the event came when one of her students expressed never having seen a fire truck up close. Since its inception, the field day has continued to grow, attracting more departments eager to participate.

Picayune Police Chief Joe Quave expressed gratitude for the invitation from PRC School, stating, “We had fun and appreciate the invitation from PRC School. We look forward to engaging with people in the community, and conversing with the kids was no exception.”

He emphasized the importance of fostering communication with the community, especially with the younger generation. “We will always seize the moment to have conversations with people who might normally be hesitant to approach us,” Chief Quave added. “Hopefully, if they need us in the future, we’ve already broken the ice and can serve them more efficiently.”

Officer Robert Gere and Cpl Shayne Cunningham were instrumental in organizing the police department’s participation in several recent events. Chief Quave commended their efforts in ensuring the department was well-represented, reinforcing the positive impact of such community engagement initiatives.