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Consultants urge Amelia County to form fire-and-EMS stakeholders group, hire interim chief
Summary
Local Solutions consultants recommended a stakeholder governance group, standardized operating procedures, an incident-review process, expanded joint training, and hiring an interim fire chief to lead transition toward a combination volunteer/paid system.
Consultants from Local Solutions presented findings from a survey and two-day visits that assessed Amelia County’s fire and EMS system. John Edwards (S7) and Spencer Cheatham (S10) said the county has strong personnel but needs clearer governance and integration between volunteer and paid staff. "We recommend hiring an interim fire chief," Spencer Cheatham said, adding that an interim leader would help build the collaborative stakeholder group and set operational standards.
Presenters recommended a phased approach to organizational change ("crawl, walk, run"), instituting a single set of standard operating procedures, an incident-review process to reduce friction, and a countywide training calendar so volunteers and paid staff train together. The consultants suggested the long-term chief selection should be driven by a stakeholder group and cautioned the permanent hiring process could take up to 18 months.
