Residents urge Greene County supervisors to restore Rutgersville volunteer fire coverage

Multiple residents and a joint statement from local party committees urged the Greene County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to act quickly after the closure of the Rutgersville Volunteer Fire Company, saying the interruption has lengthened response times and could raise insurance costs for more than 1,300 homes and businesses.

A joint address presented to the board said the Greene County Democratic Committee and the Greene County Republican Committee had partnered to express shared concern about the closure, calling it ‘‘a public safety issue of utmost importance’’ and asking for a clear timeline for reopening or reorganizing the station. The statement asked the board to outline interim coverage arrangements and to consider contingency options such as rotating volunteers from nearby companies, temporarily staffing the station with qualified retirees or other trained community members, or allowing neighboring companies to house or deploy equipment from the Rutgersville station.

"This closure has left residents and businesses with reduced fire protection and longer emergency response times," the joint statement said. The committee representatives told the board the change could lower the county's Insurance Services Office rating and lead to higher homeowners insurance for affected properties.

Several individual residents described personal experiences to illustrate the stakes. Phyllis Hopkinson, a Rutgersville resident, recounted a carbon-monoxide emergency that required a rapid fire department response and said the speed of the current volunteers made a material difference in her safety. Amy Hollis and others said they fear higher taxes or insurance premiums if the shutdown continues and asked why the county has not used rotations of nearby volunteer companies as an interim staffing solution.

Multiple speakers urged transparency about the reasons for the closure and asked for a public plan showing which departments will provide coverage, how long the closure is expected to last and how the county will notify residents of changes.

The board did not vote on a specific remedy at the meeting. County staff and supervisors acknowledged the concerns. In subsequent remarks the chair said the county would schedule follow-up agenda items and workshops on related topics, including temporary wells and financing for water projects, but did not announce a timetable for restoring Rutgersville station operations.

The Rutgersville closure and its consequences for response times remained a recurring theme throughout public comment and several supervisors said they wanted clear, public updates to restore confidence in emergency services.