BEATTYVILLE, KY — The first call was received at 7:14 a.m. on Thursday, August 13, 2009. It would be more than six hours later before about 100 firefighters from 16 departments contained a massive fire that engulfed most of a city block in downtown Beattyville.

To thank firefighters for their courage and dedication, the Downtown Beattyville Alliance will hold a ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13 at Happy Top Community Center.

Officials from the U.S. Postal Service will show their appreciation to firefighters for saving the Beattyville Post Office from any damage. It was only one of two businesses that were spared in the blaze.

“I was devastated as was everyone else,” said Main Street City Manager Lisa Stamper. “I remember in my mind about 10 firefighters on top of the Post Office roof making sure the fire didn’t spread. It made me so proud to be a citizen watching firemen keep the fire at bay.”

Fire companies who fought the fire included Beattyville, Lee County, Tri Community, Bear Track, Primrose, Jackson, Cobb Hill in Irvine, Wolfe County, Vancleve, Vincent, Ravenna, Hargett, Estill County, Canoe, Booneville/Owsley County and Irvine.

"We are all so grateful to every firefighter for what they did for the Postal Service, and this community, that day," said Postmaster Bill Campbell.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.