Residents press Onslow commissioners to fund volunteer fire departments; commissioners point to contract requirements

A resident and volunteer advocates pressed the Onslow County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 18 to prioritize capital funding for long‑standing volunteer fire departments amid a broader county push to reorganize fire and emergency services.

"Volunteer departments have been here through hurricanes, wildfires, wrecks, and structure fires without fanfare and without the full support they deserve," said Elliot Jarman, a resident who told the board volunteer units received no capital improvement funding in the county’s current plan and asked commissioners to "take a hard look at your budget priorities." Jarman said volunteers need trucks, stations and equipment upgrades, and warned that the county’s new model could erode community trust.

Commissioner Tony Bennett (as identified in the transcript) responded that the county funds most volunteer departments and that only two are not receiving capital allocations because they have not agreed to a county contract. "There are only 2 volunteer fire departments that aren't getting funding for their capital needs," Bennett said, adding the departments can qualify for capital dollars "if they agree to a very simple contract." Bennett said the county allocates more than $10 million this year to support volunteer fire departments and that 11–12 volunteer departments receive capital funding.

County manager staff briefed the board that a fire‑service master‑plan steering committee held its second meeting and is interviewing consulting firms to run an extended public engagement process across volunteer and paid departments, municipalities and Camp Lejeune. The manager said the effort is intended to examine organizing fire and EMS delivery "as a single service in Onslow County" rather than by separate jurisdiction lines.

The board said it will invite volunteer departments to a strategic‑planning session in Richlands and continue follow‑up with affected departments. No formal funding change or vote on capital allocations occurred at the meeting.

Meeting actions related to this topic: members discussed the budgeting approach and steering‑committee work; no motion was made that altered funding at this meeting.

What’s next: staff work on the fire‑service master plan will continue, with outreach to volunteer departments and interviews of consultant firms; commissioners said they will follow up with the two departments that have not signed contracts.