Lake Lure to absorb Fairfield Mountains service area; commissioners approve boundary and insurance changes

Rutherford County commissioners approved resolutions on June 2 to update fire protection service-district boundaries, change fire insurance district boundaries and abolish the Fairfield Mountains Volunteer Fire Department service district so the Town of Lake Lure can assume coverage.

The county’s fire marshal, Frank D. Hamrick, told commissioners GIS map updates were needed because Lake Lure is operating the Fairfield Mountains station and the volunteer department’s board is moving to dissolve the organization. "Lake Lure Fire Department is a Class 4," Hamrick said, and Fairfield Mountains had not been ISO-rated, meaning many residents and businesses in the affected area should see reduced insurance costs under Lake Lure’s classification.

Commissioners asked about staffing and continuity. A Lake Lure representative identified as "Rick" said Lake Lure has staffed the Fairfield station since April with Advanced EMT-certified firefighters and rescue technicians and has already hired three additional firefighters after the recent storm. He said the town plans to pursue a SAFER grant for additional staffing and would welcome any Fairfield volunteers who choose to continue with Lake Lure.

County staff and the county attorney confirmed the change required a boundary-resolution public hearing and that one small group of lots would move into an outside response area; staff said that reclassification should not affect insurance status. The board voted to approve the resolution changing service-district boundaries, the resolution changing insurance-district boundaries and a separate resolution abolishing the Fairfield Mountains service district. No members of the public spoke at the hearings.

The county will finalize maps and record the boundary changes; Lake Lure will assume operational responsibility for the station and related assets that the volunteer board chooses to transfer. The county noted the change does not adjudicate any internal property or asset transfers among volunteer department trustees; those are handled by the volunteer organization itself.

County staff said the changes are intended to preserve response coverage and to improve medical and rescue services in the area because Lake Lure provides ALS-level care and 24-hour staffing at key stations. Commissioners expressed appreciation to GIS and emergency-management staff for the mapping work that enabled the boundary updates.