Pitt County commissioners back countywide fire-service feasibility study after heated Farmville funding debate

Pitt County commissioners declined a $3 million request from the Town of Farmville for construction of a new Farmville Fire Department headquarters but voted to fund a countywide feasibility study into fire service needs, funding and communications.

The board’s meeting on March 24 drew dozens of volunteer firefighters and chiefs from departments across Pitt County who urged the commissioners to distribute county infrastructure funding so every rural department can upgrade aging stations, buy equipment and expand manpower.

Why it matters: The debate exposed broad concern about growing call volumes, aging facilities and unequal local resources for volunteer departments. Commissioners approved a feasibility study intended to produce recommendations on funding options, districting, and radio and communications improvements — information county leaders said is needed before making large one-off appropriations.

Public comments and town presentation Members and chiefs from more than a dozen volunteer departments described strained facilities and rising costs. Steve Wright, a member of the Falkland Volunteer Fire Department, told commissioners the county “needs it” when referring to additional funding for local fire departments and invited officials to tour his station and training site to see resource needs firsthand. (Steve Wright, citizen/volunteer firefighter.)

Mark Wyndham, president of the Grimesland…