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Mount Airy Rescue Squad asks Surry County for $27,500 to fund part‑time paid rescue positions
Summary
Mount Airy Rescue Squad Chief Nathan Webb requested $27,500 in additional county funding to create four part‑time paid positions to ensure daytime rescue coverage; the city of Mount Airy has pledged $27,500 toward the same program and a $15,000 grant was described as earmarked for equipment replacement.
Nathan Webb, chief of the Mount Airy Rescue Squad, told the Surry County Board of Commissioners on April 7 that his volunteer squad needs $27,500 in additional county funding to hire four part‑time paid staff (one per weekday during peak hours) to improve rescue coverage and reduce strain on volunteers.
Webb said the squad comprises 29 members and covered roughly 2,091 collective events last year, including 1,933 911 incidents; he described the group as "the only heavy rescue provider in our district" and said the unit responds countywide and to mutual-aid requests in neighboring jurisdictions. Webb told the board the rescue squad was paged more 911 calls than any other volunteer agency in Surry County and that adding paid personnel would "help ease the burden on volunteers and more importantly, ensure rescue response to the ill and injured in our community." (quote attributed to Nathan Webb)
Funding context and equipment needs Webb said the squad received a $15,000 grant from the North Carolina Community Foundation intended for storm preparedness and equipment recovery; he said the squad plans to apply that grant toward replacing an aging all-terrain vehicle (ATV) damaged during a recent deployment and trailer axle failure. He also said the City of Mount Airy committed $27,500 to cover half of the proposed paid staffing program, prompting the squad to request the remaining $27,500 from the county.
Board discussion Commissioners questioned call distribution and mutual-aid patterns. Webb said approximately 80% of the squad—s call volume is within Mount Airy city limits (about 11 square miles), primarily medical calls, and about 20% are county rescue calls such as vehicle extrications, industrial and high-angle rescues.
No formal vote The request was presented as a budgetary appeal; the transcript records questions and answers but no formal board vote or appropriation at the meeting. Webb provided a packet and a written letter; he also described the squad—s recent grant-writing success and operational statistics to justify the recurring funding request.
What the board did not decide The board did not authorize county funding during the meeting nor set a timeline or conditions for the proposed part‑time program. Webb said the total program budget would be roughly $55,000, covering wages, taxes, FICA, and increased workers' compensation expense; he told commissioners the city would cover half and requested the county match the city—s commitment.
