Fire Chief and Chiefs Back Countywide Fire District; Supervisors to Consider Levy Options

Supervisors opened discussion of an ordinance to establish a countywide fire district — a prerequisite under state code for setting a future tax levy for fire services. Chief Tomer, who identified himself as fire chief, told the board volunteers are declining, training and equipment costs are rising and current budget allocations (he described them as a small share of the county budget) are insufficient to maintain service levels. "We just can't continue to survive our budget," he said, urging the board to create a stable funding mechanism.

Multiple chiefs and long-time volunteers spoke in support of establishing a district so the county can plan paid staffing and maintain response capacity. Speakers described local call-volume pressures and said volunteers alone cannot sustain current service levels; one chief cited repeated high call loads and urged the board to focus any levy revenue on staffing and ALS capability. Board members said they are compiling data, referenced a Virginia Fire Services Board study for the county, and scheduled a public work session where staff and a firm called Emergency Services Solution (ESS) will present models and numbers before any levy vote.