By Alex Floyd, Special to the News

A hot-as-fire afternoon didn’t deter a crowd of well-wishers to the dedication of the Jimmy T. Cook Firehouse on Sunday afternoon in Pembroke.

Jimmy T. Cook was honored for his 50 years of service to the city and the community as Chief of the Pembroke Fire Department. In addition to his family and current Pembroke public safety officers, the ceremony was attended by several of Cook’s “alumni” firefighters.

Sheriff Mark Crowe credits Cook for convincing him and other young men in the Smith and Mason Road neighborhood to join the department early on.

“There are a number of great men in my life that I give credit to helping raise me,” Crowe said. “Jimmy Cook, ‘Uncle Jimmy’ I accredit to not only being part of that village but to also guiding me to a path of public service that led me to becoming the sheriff of Bryan County.”

Pembroke’s current fire chief, Peter Waters, also began a career of service under Chief Cook.

“I started volunteering at the Fire Dept in 2003 with Jimmy Cook as my chief and worked under him until 2013. I’ve always looked up to him as my role model and my chief,” Waters said. “He did a lot of great things for the Fire Dept and the City as Chief. I couldn’t think of a greater honor than naming this station after him.”

After the dedication, the crowd was invited to tour the newly renovated Fire Station and Police Station next door and enjoyed refreshments provided by Its Thyme catering.