Residents from Crawford, Wildberry and nearby communities pressed the Lee County Commission for answers after a house fire around the holidays that they say exposed gaps in dispatch and mutual-aid coordination.

Several speakers told the commission that Crawford volunteers did not receive a 9-1-1 call and that Smith Station units eventually responded but arrived without sufficient hose length or local knowledge. Ronald Blanton said his house and a neighbor's were destroyed and told the commission he had been told Crawford ‘‘would be there’’ if needed. "Our fire department didn't show up," he said, adding that insurance-rate impacts could be severe if Crawford is no longer counted in protection calculations.

Multiple residents asked whether Salem withheld the contract or call responsibilities. Commissioner Jeff Drury responded that the commission itself did not sign the agreement between Salem and Crawford; he said the agreement was strictly between those two entities and that the commission could help facilitate a meeting with Salem, Crawford and dispatch officials so citizens and officials could discuss call-routing and mutual-aid protocols.

Why it matters: Residents said the change in the Crawford–Salem arrangement may have immediate safety consequences—longer response times, unfamiliar mutual-aid crews, and potential insurance-rating changes if local protection classes are recalculated. Citizens asked for an explanation of dispatch sequencing and for the commission to host a stakeholder meeting.

What the commission said or did: Commissioners acknowledged confusion and committed to trying to arrange a meeting that would include Crawford and Salem representatives and county dispatch staff to walk through call-routing and mutual-aid procedures. Commissioners emphasized the original agreement was between the two towns and not a contract the county signed.

Next steps: Commissioners said they would attempt to facilitate a multi-party meeting to clarify the record and procedures; residents asked for answers about dispatch protocols and for assurance that response coverage would be restored or clarified.