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Fire, EMS and forest-service leaders ask county for recurring staffing and one-time capital support
Summary
Surf City, Burgaw/Pender Central, Rocky Point and other local fire/EMS organizations briefed commissioners on growth-driven call volume, ISO improvements, and capital/staffing needs; Surf City and Pender Central asked the county to repeat a $300,000 general-fund contribution to support personnel and equipment, and several volunteer departments requested one-time capital help for stations and vehicle rotation.
Multiple local fire and EMS leaders addressed the board with requests tied to rising call volumes, aging apparatus, and the county’s rapid growth.
Chief Wilson of Surf City described a department operating two stations and managing roughly $25 million in assets. He said FY 26-27 operating costs exceed $4 million with nearly $3 million in planned capital; proposed priorities include phase three of a staffing plan (three battalion chiefs and three firefighters, recurring ~$550,000), a ladder truck replacement (~$2.7 million), gear for new personnel and a second set of turnout gear for all firefighters. Wilson noted the Northeast Pender Fire District’s tax revenue (about $360,000) covers a small fraction of the department’s cost and asked the county to again provide a $300,000 general-fund appropriation (the county provided $300,000 last fiscal year) to help sustain service levels.
Chief Revat (Pender Central/Burgaw) reported roughly 877 calls in 2025, recent staff increases funded in part by SAFER/FEMA grants, grant-supported capital purchases and ISO gains, and requested a $300,000 general-fund appropriation in addition to fire tax revenue to accelerate procurement of turnout gear, rescue capability and a proposed training center. He said outside consultants and the Office of the State Fire Marshal have given positive feedback on readiness improvements and that reductions in ISO rating are possible with continued investment.
Rocky Point’s chief (Chief Short) described a combination department covering about 91 square miles with rising EMS and MVC calls, expansions in staffing and communications upgrades (P25 compatibility and paging) aimed at reducing dispatch delays, and said the town will not request additional general-fund money this year — intending instead to use fund balance and projected fire-tax income for planned capital.
Atkinson, Wallace, Maple Hill and other volunteer departments outlined capital needs: Atkinson asked for a $50,000 county contribution for a station renovation; Wallace described long-term planning for a new station and potential paid staff as annexation and development progress; Maple Hill asked to maintain the previously funded volunteer allocation and noted an expected ~ $47,000 grant award for turnout gear and equipment.
The county ranger (Mr. Paluke) described recent wildland incidents (multiple fires this year ranging from 15 to more than 100 acres in multiple events), noted the county’s large amount of state gamelands and difficult fire conditions, and requested $333,474 from the county as the local (40%) operating share for the NC Forest Service presence in Pender County, including recurring vehicle-rotation funding (~$36,400).
Union Rescue Squad and other EMS providers described the transition to ALS status, the need for remounts rather than full ambulance replacements in some cases, grant awards that offset capital costs, and ongoing recruitment and training to sustain staffing.
No votes were taken on the funding requests during the session; commissioners asked staff for follow-up budget details and to evaluate requests against the county’s CIP and revenue projections.
