Hope Mills fire staff, calls and proposed Legion Road station highlighted in operations briefing

The Town of Hope Mills heard an overview of municipal fire operations during a special meeting that followed a police presentation. The presenter (identified in the transcript as Robbie) outlined the department’s mission, staffing levels, key services and a potential site for a second station.

Robbie said the department currently has 38 full‑time employees and eight volunteers, operates three shifts with an 11‑person target per shift, and is training personnel to meet state and national standards. "The Hope Mills Fire Department is dedicated to protecting the lives, property, and environment of our communities, residents, business owners, and visitors," Robbie said while summarizing mission and vision statements.

Why it matters: The department serves roughly 18,000 residents across the district described in the presentation and faces capacity questions tied to growth and response times; the board was briefed on a proposed Legion Road site that would be studied further as part of budget planning.

Robbie described core services — fire suppression, emergency medical services, special operations including hazmat and technical rescue, and fire prevention/public education (station tours, CPR classes, car‑seat installations). He reported that in 2025 the department ran about 2,123 calls (with a caveat that GIS labeling errors may affect some counts), with EMS accounting for about 47% of call volume and fire calls about 14%.

The town is awaiting a land survey for a potential second station at Legion Road (a site the town studied previously) and may include station planning in the coming budget. Robbie noted last year’s budget had $100,000 earmarked to study a substation on Legion Road.

Volunteers: The department has eight volunteers, most of whom are state‑certified and complete a 90‑day initial training packet plus the same college training as paid staff. Robbie said volunteers sometimes move into paid ranks but many volunteer for community service.

Technology and mutual aid: Robbie said the department has two dated drones and is working to certify more pilots; commissioners discussed whether police and fire could share standardized drone models for cross‑training. Robbie also described mutual‑aid arrangements and three full‑service contracts on the town’s outskirts; the department answered about 295 county assist calls and received 153 assists from neighboring volunteer stations in the period reviewed.

Next steps: The board will consider the Legion Road survey and any budget implications in the coming cycle. No ordinance changes or formal votes on capital projects were taken during the meeting.