10/22/2026
Community Strength in the Face of Tragedy: A Heartfelt Thank You
Yesterday evening, our community faced a profound tragedy with the fire at Brookdale Senior Living. While the situation was devastating, the overwhelming wave of support, bravery, and selflessness that followed showed the true heart of our city.
We want to extend our deepest, most sincere gratitude to the incredible first responders, municipal teams, organizations, and private citizens who came to our aid and the aid of Brookdale’s residents.
Here is a look at the incredible team effort that carried us through the night and into today:
🚨 First Responders & Tactical Support
• Jackson Fire Department: Thank you for bringing 4 fire engines, a ladder truck, air supply, and massive manpower. Your team filled well over 100 air bottles, keeping the firefight continuous and aggressive.
• Hinds & Madison County Volunteers: Immense thanks to the volunteers who rushed in from stations across Bolton, Brownsville, Pocahontas, Raymond, Byram, Maclean, Terry, and Flora.
• Clinton Police Department: Thank you for managing critical staging and traffic control, and for providing drone footage that allowed us to monitor water coverage and target hot spots.
• Mutual Aid Offers: A special thank you to Ridgeland Fire Department, Madison Fire Department, and Byram Fire Department for immediately reaching out to offer trucks and crews.
• AMR: Thank you for your speedy, excellent medical care on-scene, for remaining on standby to keep our firefighters safe, and for helping facilitate getting residents safely onto buses.
• Byram VFD: Thank you for setting up and maintaining the rehab station to keep our crews safe and functional during the grueling firefight.
• Off duty personnel and retired CFD members: for showing up, stepping in, and maintaining a position without hesitation
🏢 Agency & Municipal Partners
• Clinton Public Works: A massive thank you to Phillip Lilley and his team
• Mississippi Department of Health: Your guidance was an invaluable asset in helping Brookdale staff successfully account for every single resident.
• Hinds County EOC & MEMA: Thank you for stepping in with vital manpower and resources to support the response teams.
• Morrison Heights Church: Setting up a reunification area is an incredibly stressful, monumental task. You executed it with seamless efficiency, grace, and deep care for the residents and their worried loved ones.
• Clinton Public School District: Thank you to Superintendent Andy Scoggins, Athletic Director Judd Boswell, and Head Football Coach Hamer Morgan for answering our late-night call for buses and personally stepping up to drive them.
• Clinton High School Football Team: To the players who volunteered their time and physical strength to help residents safely board the buses—you showed the true meaning of leadership. Our city is incredibly proud of you.
🍽️ Continuous Community Comfort & Care
To the families, neighbors, and local businesses who kept our team fueled and hydrated during the fire and throughout the following day:
• The wives of our firemen and the community members who brought food and drinks directly to the fire scene.
• Hometown Windshield (owned by a former CFD Captain) for being a major presence with food when it was needed most.
• Pinelake Church & the Clinton High School Culinary Arts Department for delivering food to the station today, keeping us fueled as day-to-day emergency operations continued without a pause.
• Clinton Refrigeration Service & Dr. Susan Fortenberry at Pediatric Dentistry for providing the water and electrolyte drinks vital for our crew's rehydration.
To any citizen or business we may have missed by name: please know that your kindness did not go unnoticed. You are the reason this town is so amazing.
Standing with Brookdale
Our hearts remain heavy today. We extend our deepest, most profound sympathy to the residents of Brookdale Senior Living, their families, and the dedicated staff members. Please know that you have our continuous prayers, our thoughts, and every resource we can possibly provide as you navigate this incredibly difficult time. Together, as one community, we will rebuild and heal.
