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LANETT — There was a “Sweet Home Alabama” booth at Thursday’s job fair at the Alabama Welcome Center. Lori Syck, personnel director for the Alabama Tourism Department and Trisa Collier, CPM, Welcome Center Administrator, were there to talk to people about getting jobs with the state.

“We wanted to get out into smaller, rural areas to give people the opportunity to learn more about state services and employment opportunities,” Syck said. “It’s good to get away from the office in Montgomery and meet people.”

They were giving away some neat items including Smokey The Bear cup insulators and “Sweet Home Alabama” cell phone wallets.

Smokey The Bear is an icon of the U.S. Forest Service and a well-known figure in a long-running wildfire prevention campaign. Begun in 1944, Smokey’s “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” is the longest-running public service announcement campaign in U.S. history.

The Smokey the Bear cup insulator has some campfire safety tips on the back: Never leave a campfire unattended, and remember to drown, stir and feel before leaving it. Drown the fire with lots of water, stir the remains and drown it again and make sure the fire is cold enough to feel it with your bare hands before leaving.

The cell phone wallet can be attached to the back of your cell phone. It’s a convenient place to put your driver’s license and debit cards.

Syck said that the State of Alabama employs more than 30,000 people in more than 100 agencies. An average of 3,750 people are trained for these jobs every year.