It has been reported that a fire displaced a Madison County family on Wednesday morning, April 22nd, 2026, but the family was able to safely get out thanks to two early responders. One of which happens to be the Chief of the Pond Creek Fire & Rescue Department.
According to the Red Lick Volunteer Fire Department, the fire began around 7 a.m. Wednesday. Homeowners Zack and Kaitlyn Huff woke up to someone banging on their door.
The reports quote Kaitlynn, “I grabbed my phone to check my camera to see who was here.” “[Zack] looked out our bedroom window and was like ‘Katie, our house is on fire.’ I grabbed my little boy and I put his head on my shoulder and I just ran out the front door.”
Two people passing by saw the fire and stopped at the house before fire crews arrived at the scene. According to Keith Everitt, a Red Lick Volunteer firefighter, Jason Gabbard, a fire chief from Jackson County, and Phillip Logsdon, a Berea College IT staff member, were the two who stopped at the Huff’s house.
“There was a guy and he took my little boy to get him out of the smoke, because there was smoke all the way down to the mailbox,” Kaitlyn said, describing Logsdon.
“The other guy was beating and banging on our door. He almost kicked it in,” she added, saying it was Gabbard. “If it was not for that man, within I would say a minute or two, it would have ended so much differently for me and my little boy and [Zack]. That guy saved our life 100%. He saved our life.”
The Red Lick Volunteer Fire Department responded, along with firefighters from Madison County, Berea, and the Blue Grass Army Depot.
“Hoses were deployed and the fire was put out in a relatively quick period of time considering a house fire,” Everitt shared. “A lot of damage was done to the home.”
Everitt and the Huffs feel this morning could have gone a very different direction.
“If they'd have been asleep another five minutes, the atmosphere would have changed so much that if they would have opened the door, it may have overcome them within a few steps,” Everitt said.
“I put my little girl on the bus this morning thinking that I was going to take an hour nap and then wake back up,” shared Kaitlyn. “Then we wake up and our house is on fire. That’s just something that you never ever planned for."
Since the passing of Pond Creek Fire & Rescue Chief Larry Bowling, Jason Gabbard of Letterbox, KY, has stepped in to assume the position of Chief. Jason served for 12 years as Assistant Chief under the supervision of Mr. Bowling, so he was well prepared. Jason’s father and mother are Isaac Burnis Gabbard and Sally Gabbard. Both are natives of Jackson County. Isaac passed away when Jason was only 16 years old. At this time, two friends, Dennis and Scotty Clark, introduced Jason to the Pond Creek Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department. Serving for more than 20 years,
Jason has been with the department since 2003. Jason graduated from the JCHS in the Class of 2004. He married Larry Bowling’s daughter, Lyn, and they have one daughter, Peytan. Jason exhibits the same selfless, community-oriented philosophy demonstrated by his predecessor. “What motivates me to be a firefighter is that I want to help our community as much as possible. We volunteer our time and service. No one gets paid for this job.”
If you wish to support the Pond Creek Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department or all Jackson County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Departments you can send your donation/check to the Jackson County Fire Alliance. Donations/checks can be mailed to ATTN: Jackson County Fire Alliance PO Box 861, McKee, KY 40447. The donation will be split evenly among the four departments. However, it can be donated to a single fire department if specifically noted on the check.
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