Saturday Feb. 9,
2013
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 35
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
59
44
20% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section
Video captures stunning rescue Mounted camera inside firefighter’s helmet records life/death situation BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Forestry Commission employee Billy Powers (right) gives some tree seedlings to Robert Strickland during the annual tree giveaway on Friday.
Arbor Day giveaway provides hope for future BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Corinthians are in the planting mood. Much cooler temperatures didn’t deter individuals from picking up seedlings during the annual tree giveaway on Arbor Day.
“The worse the weather, the more folks we have,” said Alcorn County Extension Service Director Patrick Poindexter. Representatives with the Extension Service, Forestry Commission and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service all combine to distribute
A video recorder mounted on the helmet of firefighter Chris Duncan shows a firstperson view as he went inside a burning home to find the occupant. “It gives you a realistic view of exactly what we see and what we do,” said Fire Chief Billy Briggs, who recently encouraged the mayor and aldermen to view the video. It can be found on the Corinth Fire Department Facebook page and on YouTube by searching for “Chris Duncan house fire.” Running about four minutes, the video, filmed with a FireCam 1080, begins as the firetruck approaches the house at 1803 E. Fifth St. the night of Jan. 11. A fireman announces “fully involved” and tells 911 to dispatch EMS to the scene. Duncan asks bystanders if anyone is inside the house
and makes his way to a window where Don Pruitt had last been seen. Pruitt had already dropped a baby outside onto a pillow and then collapsed inside. Duncan breaks the window glass, and smoke pours out. He climbs inside and is engulfed in darkness with only the sound of his breathing until he finds the man. “Give me your hand,” he says. Pruitt is taken out of the home just in the nick of time. As Duncan turns back toward the house, the room experiences “flashover” and becomes engulfed in flames where he stood just seconds before. Briggs said the video camera is something Duncan has done on his own, and it can be useful for training purposes. The fire was ruled accidental. Pruitt was critically injured and taken to the Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon. The baby was unharmed.
the trees. “The hardwood went really fast,” added Poindexter. “We started at 8:30 a.m. and were out by 9:15.” The tree giveaway was the beginning of activities to bring Please see GIVEAWAY | 2
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
T.A.T.U. — Teens Against Tobacco Use — rallied at Crossroads Arena on Friday. Taking part are the Youth Advisory group for Mississippi Tobacco Free.
Teens rally against tobacco BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Over 200 high school students from Alcorn and Prentiss learned new strategies to lead the fight against the tobacco industry on Friday. Held at the Crossroads Arena Conference Center, Generation FREE’s L.E.A.D (Leadership, Engagement and Activism Development) Conference gave local
students the tools needed to help reduce youth tobacco use. “We teach them how to be youth advocates — to stand up to big tobacco,” said Emily McGrath, project director for the Mississippi Tobacco Free Coalition of Alcorn and Tippah Counties. The high schoolers attended sessions throughout the day that spread the word about opportuni-
ties for leadership and grassroots activism available through Generation FREE, the state’s youthled tobacco prevention program. They learned how the grassroots efforts of teens across Mississippi have helped dramatically reduce youth smoking rates over the last decade, and they were encouraged to work to promote
Index Stocks........8 Classified......14 Comics........ 7 State........ 5
Weather........9 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12
Please see RALLY | 2
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Brenda Childs and the rest of United Methodist Women will be hosting the annual Lenten Luncheons on Wednesday at First United Methodist Church.
UMW begins annual lunch, message tradition BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Lunch is being served -along with an inspiring message. The 33rd Annual Lenten Luncheons at First United Methodist Church willbegin
Feb. 13 in the church fellowship hall on Jackson Street. Made possible by the United Methodist Women, the seven weeks of lunches begin each Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. Please see LUNCH | 3
On this day in history 150 years ago Work continues on the Lake Providence canal near Vicksburg. Union troops are digging a canal that would connect the lake with the Mississippi River, creating an alternate water route that avoids the big guns at Vicksburg. The plan has little hope of success, but it keeps the troops busy during winter.
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