Bradford County fire chief outlines response gaps, board schedules public hearings on assessment and discusses Brooker station

Fire Chief Ben Carter told the Board of County Commissioners May 6 that Bradford County Fire Rescue’s current staffing and station locations leave response times well above national recommendations in several areas, and he urged commissioners to consider a fire assessment to stabilize staffing and equipment funding.

The board scheduled two public hearings on the proposed fire assessment — one in July and a second on Aug. 21 — and staff said property-owner notices will be mailed between the hearings; grievance and correction requests may begin once notices go out.

Why it matters: Chief Carter said national standards (NFPA 1710) recommend a first-arriving unit on scene within 4 minutes; the county’s average first-arriving time is 9 minutes, 18 seconds. The chief said the county handled 7,536 incidents in 2024 (an average of 21 incidents per day) and ran 1,223 fire-related calls last year. Carter said a 50% cost-recovery assessment would set the residential fee at $167 per dwelling unit, nonresidential at $0.11 per square foot, and vacant parcels at $47; a 25% recovery would halve those charges.

Key points from the presentation and discussion - Response and standards: Carter compared county performance to NFPA guidance and noted volunteer recruitment and training requirements have changed. He said NFPA’s staffing recommendation for a typical 2,000-square-foot residence is 16 personnel; the county can provide about seven with current staffing. He described the Tatum sawmill and recent brush/structure incidents where mutual aid was required. - Calls and outcomes: The chief reported 74 cardiac arrests in 2024, 57 resuscitation attempts and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in 29 cases; he cited a county ROSC rate of 39% compared with a state average of 24%. - Financial proposal: At a 50% cost-recovery level Chief Carter presented, residential units would pay $167 per dwelling annually (about $13.92 per month); the consultant’s methodology apportions cost by call type and square footage for commercial properties. - Brooker station and state appropriation: Commissioners and staff discussed a $500,000 state appropriation for a Brooker station. County staff said $500,000 is available now and that additional equipment leftover from prior appropriations totals roughly $130,000. County officials said they scaled the project back to fit available funds but need the remainder of requested state funding to complete the station and to staff it at the proposed level. - Municipal participation and staffing: Commissioners said they need a clear commitment from the Town of Brooker to “opt in” to the assessment; staffing the proposed two-person adaptive-response station will require hiring additional personnel (county staff estimated six hires for full staffing) and those personnel costs were discussed as tied to the assessment’s revenue assumptions.

Public comment and local officials Mayor Dean Melvin of Brooker testified that many Brooker residents are on fixed incomes and expressed concern about affordability for his town. Commissioners said municipal boards would have time to consider whether to participate before the board’s final decision; the county manager said the application and notice schedule would allow town councils to respond.

Next steps Commissioners set the public hearing dates (July and Aug. 21) and asked staff to mail notices and post the grievance process information. Staff said they would place the Brooker station item on the next commission agenda if the town provides a commitment; county staff also said they can phase construction (for example, build living quarters first with the $500,000 appropriation) if the board chooses to proceed without the full appropriation.

Ending Commissioners and the fire chief emphasized the choice facing voters and residents is between funding a professional, consistent emergency response and relying on the slower, limited volunteer/partial coverage model. The board will hear public testimony at the scheduled hearings and may adjust final assessment rates after the hearings.