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Volunteers urge caution as Onslow County advances fire-service study; commissioners pledge collaboration
Summary
Longtime volunteer firefighters and residents urged the county to move slowly on a fire-service study and to protect volunteer morale. Commissioners said they do not intend to take over local stations and encouraged participation in the study and related public input events.
Several long-serving volunteer firefighters and residents told the Onslow County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 20 that a planned county fire-service study should proceed cautiously and with full transparency to avoid damaging volunteer recruitment and retention.
Kevin Rouse, who said he has served Backsawant (Backswamp) Volunteer Fire Department in multiple leadership roles since 1980, told commissioners: "Please don't rush into this thing. Let's take our time with it." Rouse warned that rapid changes could "break that heart" of volunteers and increase costs if volunteer capacity declines.
Elliot Jarman asked specific transparency questions about funding and process: where the county's "3¢ money" would go after the study, whether the county had continued discussions with departments that have not signed the county contract, and who would receive the completed study report. "These aren't complicated questions," Jarman said, calling for public access to the study paid for with taxpayer dollars.
Commissioners and county leaders repeatedly praised volunteers and stressed that the study's purpose is to prepare for future needs rather than to dissolve volunteer departments. Commissioner Michael Buchanan said the board does not intend to take over volunteer stations: "We do not want your stations." Commissioner Buchanan described the study as intended to make countywide fire service more cohesive and to gather input from citizens and departments.
County staff and the manager noted public-input opportunities for the fire master plan (including an Oct. 23 session at the Emergency Operations Center) and encouraged departments and residents to participate. Commissioners said the study was selected after a competitive process and that the county is seeking candid input from both volunteers and residents.
No formal action on governance or consolidation was taken at the meeting; the board instead emphasized outreach and said it would continue to answer specific funding and transparency questions raised by commenters.
