Hattiesburg, Mississippi – This morning, Mayor Toby Barker joined Petal Mayor Tony Ducker, Lamar County BOS President Warren Byrd, Forrest County BOS President David Hogan, Forrest County District 2 Supervisor Sharon Thompson, Lamar County EMA Director James Smith and Hattiesburg Fire Chief Sherrocko Stewart to announce a collaborative effort to support residents in Jackson during its water crisis.

Through Friday, September 16, residents can drop off donations of unopened plastic water bottles at fire stations throughout the Pine Belt. Then, local emergency management agencies will help transport the water to provide support to Jackson residents through Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and its distribution points.

“Our area isn’t a stranger to hard times. During our hardest days, our friends from all over the state have stepped in to help,” said Barker. “Today, we’re more than glad to pay that forward through a collaborative approach with the City of Petal, Lamar County and Forrest County.”

Byrd added, “When the mayor reached out to us about partnering on a water drive, we willingly stepped up. From fires and tornadoes, our area has always been able to be resilient due to others’ kindness. So we urge our residents across the counties to grab an extra case and drop it off at any of our local stations.”

Hogan added, “From Katrina and the latest tornadoes in 2013 and 2017, residents of the Pine Belt saw so many step in to help. Jackson is a sister city, and we ask all our residents to help if they can in order to pay that forward.”

Ducker added, “It’s very important that we do something of this nature. When we were in similar situations through natural disasters where we were without water and power, others stepped forward. At the end of the day, it’s the little acts like an extra case of water that means someone cares – and now is the time we get to do the same for others.”

There are more than 25 locations throughout Forrest and Lamar Counties where unopened water bottles can be dropped off. A full list of participating stations and municipal buildings are located below:

City of Hattiesburg Fire Stations
Fire Station #1 – 810 Main Street, Hattiesburg
Fire Station #3 – 53 Academy Drive, Ste 1, Hattiesburg
Fire Station #4 – 5033 Hwy 42, Hattiesburg
Fire Station #5 – 922 E Hardy Street, Hattiesburg
Fire Station #6 – 3804 Montague Boulevard, Hattiesburg
Fire Station #7 – 46 Parkway Boulevard, Hattiesburg
Fire Station #8 – 104 Lamar Boulevard, Hattiesburg
Fire Station #9 – 7460 Hwy 49 North, Hattiesburg

City of Petal
City Hall – 119 W 8th Avenue, Petal
John E. Anderson Fire Station #1 – 102 Fairchild Drive, Petal
Station #2 – 109 West Eighth Avenue, Petal
Station #3 – 1187 Highway 42, Petal

Forrest County Volunteer Fire Stations
North Forrest – 2315 Glendale Avenue, Hattiesburg
Dixie – 19 Dixie Barn Road, Hattiesburg
Sunrise – 1071 Luther Carter Road, Hattiesburg
McLaurin – 310 Carter Road, Hattiesburg
Brooklyn – 48 Old Hwy 49 W to Brooklyn Road, Brooklyn
Macedonia – 609 Macedonia Road, Petal
Carnes – 268 John Morris Road, Lumberton
Rawls Springs – 512 Archie Smith Road, Hattiesburg

Lamar County Volunteer Fire Stations
Sumrall – 54 Pine Street
Purvis – 805 Main Street
Lumberton – 21 N First Street
Oak Grove – 2536 Old Hwy 24
Northeast Lamar Station 2 – 5502 West 4th Street
Northeast Lamar Station 1 – 753 Weathersby Road
Central Lamar – 1 Keystone Drive

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