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County fire chiefs present countywide fire and rescue study, urge new funding and volunteer recruitment
Summary
A consultant presented a comprehensive study showing rising call volume, weekday staffing gaps and equipment cost increases; the report recommends further board discussion, consideration of funding models and volunteer retention efforts.
Greg Grayson, a consultant with NC Fire Chief Consulting, told the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners that a countywide fire and rescue study found that response demand is rising and that weekday staffing shortages are the system’s weakest point.
The study, requested and coordinated by county fire chiefs, analyzed incident data, GIS risk mapping, department finances and volunteer staffing levels and produced a set of recommendations the chiefs asked the board to review. “Time is really important … seconds are the enemy in these emergency situations,” Grayson said, explaining that both cardiac and fire incidents grow rapidly with delay.
The report’s nut graf: the county’s largely volunteer fire system continues to provide service, but rising call volumes, higher equipment costs and an…
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