Waynesville mulls adding eight firefighters
Waynesville town leaders will decide this month whether to raise property taxes to hire additional firefighters, and if so, by how much.
More firefighters needed, but is it worth a tax increase?
Waynesville leaders will face a big decision this budget year: whether to increase property taxes by 10 percent to pay for additional firefighters.
As volunteer fire cavalry wanes, quick response hinges on a core of paid staff
Waynesville town leaders heard something they didn’t necessarily want to hear last week.
Franklin hires new fire chief
Kevin Rohrer, a captain with Morrisville Fire and Rescue Department, has been hired as Franklin’s fulltime fire chief to replace former interim chief Warren Cabe.
Canton Fire Department earns better insurance rating
Now that the North Carolina Department of Insurance issued the Canton Fire Department a Class 4 rating this week, Canton homeowners should see a little savings on their fire insurance premiums.
Desperate for recruits, volunteer firefighters hope to change the perception that their brotherhood is a boys’ club
Despite the stereotype of volunteer firefighters as Type A alpha males, knowing your Nascar drivers and driving a pick-up truck isn’t a prerequisite for being a volunteer firefighter.
When duty calls: A critical shortage of volunteer firefighters threatens a time-honored American tradition
Little boys worship them. Bruce Springsteen memorialized them. The helpless count on them.
Volunteer firefighters are a symbol of American strength and determination, pillars in their community who answer the call of duty when friends and neighbors need them most.
Franklin to hire fulltime fire chief
As the demand for services continues to grow, Franklin will begin its search for a full-time fire chief to run the Franklin Fire Department.
Fire tax approved for southern Jackson County
Mark Jones has never voted for a tax increase before, but the Jackson County Commissioner joined the rest of the board in favor of instituting a fire tax for the Cashiers and Highlands areas of the county last week.
Cashiers residents support fire department, question fairness of proposed fire tax
A public hearing to get Cashiers’ take on a proposed fire tax for the area drew about 70 people to the Cashiers-Glenville Recreation Center. Judging by the 10 speakers who said their piece to the Jackson County Commissioners, one opinion is fairly unanimous among Cashiers taxpayers: the Cashiers Fire Department needs more revenue.