Bottom Line Up Front: Port Allen City Council surprised longtime resident Hampton Craig with a citizenship award Wednesday night for his heroic actions during a house fire that saved lives and property on 13th Street.

PORT ALLEN — In a touching ceremony that brought family and community together, the Port Allen City Council presented Hampton Craig with the city's Citizen Service Award for his courageous response to a neighbor's house fire.

Mayor Terecita Pattan orchestrated the surprise recognition at the October 8th council meeting, honoring Craig's quick thinking and selfless actions when fire threatened the home of Baker Police Chief Carl K. Dunn's family in Port Allen.

A Neighbor's Courage

"I came up with this because I was called out to the fire at Baker Police Chief Carl K. Dunn's family home that caught fire," Pattan explained. "Mr. Craig, who we had to try to hold this secret from, just was out there and he did all he could do to help save what they could."

While the home didn't burn to the ground, Craig's immediate response proved critical. He ensured Chief Dunn's brother evacuated safely and began assisting before the fire department arrived on scene.

The mayor invited Baker Police Chief Dunn and his family to attend the meeting to support Craig, turning the recognition into a celebration of the bonds that hold the 13th Street community together.

A Lifetime of Neighborly Service

Baker Police Chief Dunn, clearly moved by the recognition, spoke about what makes Craig special to their small Port Allen neighborhood.

"13th Street is just a one-block street in Port Allen town, born and raised," Chief Dunn said. "For Craig to be the type of neighbor that I grew up with—Glenda Fay has always been like a big sister to me, she's a couple years older—living in Baker now, knowing that those two were next door to my mother and father, they were always like additional children that my parents had."

Chief Dunn emphasized that Craig's heroic response came as no surprise to those who know him.

"I knew anything that I needed, anything they needed was there. That's just what type of neighbor he is," he said. "I wasn't surprised that he tried to put the fire out by himself. That's what type of person he is."

The Tradition Continues

Chief Dunn, who moved from Port Allen to Baton Rouge in 1985 and then to Baker in 1988, spoke about the comfort of knowing Craig remained the same dependable neighbor across decades.

"For Craig to keep the tradition of being that neighbor that's always one phone call away, it always gave me comfort to have a wonderful person, a brave person the way he is," Chief Dunn said.

While acknowledging he calls Craig "from time to time to do stuff for me," Chief Dunn's broader message resonated with everyone present.

"Y'all, this is what we all want, especially as elected officials—if we can get our citizens to support each other for good things and always be our brother's keeper, that makes the world so much a better place," he said.

The Recognition

The certificate reads: "City of Port Allen mayor and the city council of Port Allen would like to recognize Hampton Craig on this eighth day of October 2025 in recognition of going above and beyond in a neighborly way of being a special citizen to serve the community."

Craig's response reflected his character—humble, community-focused, and ready to help.

"For those who don't know me, I'm a neighborhood person that'll do anything for anybody," Craig told the council. "Now that y'all know my name, if you need me for anything, I'm gonna be there for you."

What It Means

The recognition highlighted the type of community bonds that make neighborhoods resilient. Chief Dunn spoke about the memories created on 13th Street—a short block where neighbors helped babysit children, supported each other through life's challenges, and maintained connections across generations.

"The memories I have of not only that house but every wonderful neighbor that had to help babysit us until my mom started working—when my baby brother got out of diapers she said she was going to work, my dad didn't want her to—but for Fred to keep the tradition of being that neighbor that's always one phone call away, it always gave me comfort," Chief Dunn said.

The fire, while devastating to the family home, became an opportunity to celebrate the type of neighbor everyone hopes to have—someone who runs toward danger to help others, who stays committed to community across decades, and who makes a one-block street feel like family.

Mayor Pattan and the council took photos with Craig, Chief Dunn, and his family after the presentation, creating their own memory of a night when Port Allen paused to honor what matters most: neighbors taking care of neighbors.

The Port Allen City Council meets on the first and second Wednesday of each month at 5:30 PM. Meetings are open to the public and held at Port Allen City Hall.