Officials seek to combine volunteer firefighters, rescue squads

In an attempt to curtail a two-year storm of highway deaths in Onslow County, officials are considering bringing volunteer firefighter departments and rescue squads together under one umbrella.

Last year, 30 people died on Onslow County roads waiting for responding emergency workers. In 2008, the number of people who died while waiting for fire and rescue workers to arrive or while they were on the scene was 33. Only one person died in a structure fire in the last two years, all according to information provided by Onslow County Emergency Services.

County officials said the focus for county volunteer firefighters has become vehicle crashes; and joining with volunteer rescue squads would shorten response time, saving the lives of people who would otherwise have to wait to get cut out of their banged-up cars.

In response to consultant-prepared fire study recommendations presented to County Commissioners last year, county staff would like to create a five-day a week, 10-hour a day full-time Fire Rescue Battalion to respond to structure fires, fire alarms, vehicle fires, wrecks and high-risk medical calls.

The Battalion would be made up of five field stations, each manned by two county employees certified in both firefighting and rescue. The initial units would be set up at in the Southwest area, Swansboro, Richlands, Sneads Ferry and at the Emergency Operations Center in Jacksonville.

Volunteer fire chiefs are at least willing to listen to more about the proposed battalion based on a 12-to-6 vote to approve of the concept at last week’s fire chiefs meeting.

“I’m not going to say it’s what we hoped for or what we need, but it might be all we have,” said Rickey Hardison, Turkey Creek fire chief and chairman of the county fire commission.

He said the proposal is a step, but he wasn’t sure yet whether it was in the right direction.

“It is a step, and we have been standing still for 25 years,” he said.

He said volunteers are worried about a possible future when there is no more room for them at the county firefighting table.

“I have been fielding calls from firefighters concerned the county is taking over and pushing out volunteers,” he said, adding others say they understand there is only so much money available and something has to be done.

Most fire and rescue volunteers just want more discussion on the topic before any permanent decisions are made, several chiefs told The Daily News over the last week.

To help fund the estimated $2-million-a-year battalion, county staff recommend a vehicle extrication fee of $675 be added to rescue and medical bills a person has to pay after a wreck. With an average of 750 extrications a year and the expectation of collecting on 50 percent of the billed extrications, the county would bring in $253,125. EMS and hazardous material recovery fees could also be used to fund the new battalion, according to information presented to commissioners, volunteer firefighters and rescue workers at three separate meetings last week.

County Commissioner Barbara Ikner raised the rhetorical question at the commissioner’s workshop meeting whether revenue from the quarter-cent sales tax could be used to fund the battalion if the commissioners decide to create one and if the sales tax passes referendum in May.

If the changes are green lighted, the current fire commission would eventually be revamped into the Fire Rescue Commission comprised of seven members — two from the volunteer fire service, two from the rescue squads, a representative from the insurance industry, a business representative and a general citizen. The new Fire Rescue Commission would oversee contractual agreements between county and volunteer services.

The eventual goal is to have a unit on scene within eight minutes of an incoming emergency call with extrications completed within 20 minutes of unit arrival at least 90 percent of the time. Countywide, responders currently arrive an average of 90 percent of the time within 14 minutes.

Contact Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456. Read the Daily News reporter blog at http://newsroomblog.freedomblogging.com.