Johnston County fire commission presents draft staffing plan aimed at adding ~70 firefighters over 2–3 years

The Johnston County Fire Commission on March 2 presented a draft minimum‑staffing strategic plan the commission says is designed to address a nationwide volunteer shortfall and a sharp rise in call volume.

"We identified about 2 years ago that we were gonna need 70 firefighters to inject in our system over the next 2 to 3 years," Fire Commission Chairman Chief Chris Ellington told the Board of Commissioners. The draft recommends initial staffing to place at least one part‑time paid employee in every station and then phase toward two‑person daytime staffing and eventual 24‑hour staffing tied to data‑driven metrics (the plan cites a recommended metric between 800 and 1,200 calls for triggering 24‑hour staffing).

Ellington said the commission has completed a pay study with HR and is looking at compensation and benefits to avoid "trading employees" between departments. The plan also recommends a full‑time supervisor for staffed stations, provides guidance rather than mandates for individual departments, and ties spending recommendations to available funding. "This is a road map to get the budget," Ellington said, describing the plan as a tool for upcoming fire service budgets.

Fire Marshal Travis Johnson and commissioners emphasized the goal is to supplement, not replace, volunteers: "This was never intended to replace or do away with volunteer," a commissioner said during discussion. The board moved to take the plan under advisement so staff and commissioners can use it during the March budgeting process; the board took the plan under advisement by voice vote.

No funding decision was made March 2; commissioners were told fire service budgets are due March 15 and that the commission will bring cost and staffing details into the county budget review process.