Willie Bennett was recognized Tuesday night for 40 years of volunteer service with the Lugoff Fire Department, where leaders and fellow volunteers honored a man Chief Chris Jones said has served the community continuously for four decades.
“Today, Mr. Willie Bennett has been a volunteer here at Lugoff Fire continuously that whole time,” Jones said during the department’s monthly meeting. “We’re pleased to honor him for 40 years of volunteer service and hope he continues on.”
Jones presented Bennett with a plaque marking the milestone.
For Bennett, a Lugoff native, the path into volunteer service started simply. He saw firefighters responding to calls and wanted to be part of it.
“I just love it. Always did,” Bennett said.
That sense of purpose has kept him connected to the department through eight chiefs, major emergencies and changing seasons of life.
Among the incidents he said he will always remember are Hurricane Hugo, the 1991 Colad fire in Camden and the deadly Amtrak derailment in Lugoff.
“When the tone goes off, you hope it’s a false call,” Bennett said. “But if it’s not, you know you’re there to help somebody.”
Bennett said the department has always felt like home, with a bond that helped keep him coming back year after year.
“Everybody here’s just family,” he said.
He once spent nearly every day at the station, but said health issues have slowed him in recent years. Even so, he still responds to calls and remains active with the department. Bennett retired from Cogsdill Tool in Lugoff and now does mechanic work on the side.
As he reflected on 40 years of service, Bennett said recognition was never the reason he volunteered.
“If somebody recognize, it’s good,” he said. “If you don’t, you still do it every day.”
He said he would encourage younger volunteers to get involved, but only if they are ready to commit and do it for the right reasons.
“Make sure you’ve got time,” Bennett said. “It’s not something you do for recognition.”
After 40 years, Bennett said the heart of the job has never changed. For him, it has always been about showing up when somebody needs help.
