Dunlap firefighters show support for Ella

DUNLAP, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Dunlap Fire Department is rallying around a Pikeville firefighter and his family.

Dunlap firefighters work closely with firefighters from other departments.

“We may not have the extra personnel that the career departments have. And as a result the fire departments actually rely on each other,” said Chief Norman Hatfield, with the Dunlap Fire Department.

Chief Hatfield says they are always there to help other firefighters in need.

“The brotherhood of firefighters are supportive of each other always. It doesn’t matter whether we are career or whether we are volunteer. We back each other up,” he said.

Chief Hatfield says he is personal friends with the Pikeville Fire Chief, whose granddaughter, Ella Swafford, had a large mass from her abdomen removed on Wednesday.

“They are going through something that nobody should have to go through and because they do go out and give their time for their community then this is a time that we need to give back to them” Chief Hatfield said.

The Dunlap Fire Department showed their support for Ella in a Facebook post where they asked people to send prayers to the family.

“We received an overwhelming response,” Chief Hatfield said.

More than 1,000 people reacted to the post and more than 600 people shared it.

“The family had been asking for prayers and so we just used our Facebook post as a way of getting that out to the public and I am astonished at how well the people have responded,” Chief Hatfield said.

Ella got out of surgery and is now in recovery.

“Hopefully we will get some help from above on it.”

This is one way firefighters showed they are always there for each other.

The family posted that Ella is doing well and her bone scan was normal.