Jerome Clark loves serving his community
As one of Starkville’s many hard-working first responders, Jerome Clark of the Starkville Fire Department loves his job of serving and protecting the community and its citizens.
“It’s very important to me, because it’s always nice to help those in need and be somebody who can be helpful. To be blessed with a job to where the job not only provides a means of taking care of your family, but the actual job that you do,” said Clark. “Helping every family that you encounter, being able to stop pain and suffering, save people’s properties, things that they have worked for all their lives, and sentimental things as simple as pictures or animals, it just means a lot.”
Clark serves as the B Shift Battalion Chief for the Starkville Fire Department in the city that he was raised in ever since his family moved from Isola when he was around seven to eight months old.
As one who was raised here, who raised his family here, and works here as a first responder for the community, Clark describes what Starkville means to him.
“This town means a lot to me. I like the southern atmosphere and the hospitality. Everyone here is friendly; I’ve been to bigger cities, and you just don’t see a whole lot of that,” said Clark. “The family atmosphere here is where it’s at for me. I’m a simple guy, I don’t like to flash and dash. It’s not too fast, it’s not too slow. For a guy like me, it’s just right.”
In his role as the B Shift Battalion Chief, Clark has a number of tasks each day that keep him busy at the fire department.
“The biggest things are making sure the daily roster is complete, as in putting people in place at each station. Making sure payroll is complete. I also make sure we have the proper people at each station as far as sergeants, lieutenants, drivers, operators, EMTS, just making sure each station is complete with the staffing they need,” said Clark. “For fire calls, I’m the incident commander, so I’m the guy who will be making different calls on whatever adjustments we need to make as far as medical, MVA, fire-related, or hazmat.”
From 1993 to 1999, Clark also served at the Starkville National Guard Armory as a generator mechanic.
Clark is also a part time sales manager for O’reilly Auto Parts, so he finds himself quite busy. But when he is outside of work, he has a few hobbies he partakes in during his free time, such as fishing, playing basketball, playing pool, and tinkering around with cars.
“I like to fix and repair cars – nothing major, just the basic stuff,” Clark said.
Clark also enjoys spending time with his children, Camika Lakea, Mary Alexis, Jerome Jr., and Jacorey Dequan.
If you see Clark around town, be sure to tell him hello and thank him for serving our community.