Carroll County Rural Fire Looks to Reorganize

HUNTINGDON (August 19) — Since a fire destroyed the Hico Fire Department in July 2023, the Carroll County Rural Fire Department has been forced to answer numerous questions about property insurance and ownership of stations. On Monday, Marc Alley, Emergency/Fire Management Consultant for County Technical Assistance Service, was in attendance at the Carroll County Civic Center to speak to the Carroll County Rural Fire Department Committee along with county firefighters and county commissioners. The purpose of the meeting was to help clear up some of the gray areas in the hopes of improving the department.

At the opening of the meeting, Carroll County Mayor Joseph Butler announced that the current EMA Director Janice Newman had submitted a letter stating she was retiring in September. He added Newman’s daughter, Amanda Sneed, current county fire chief, expressed interest in the position. Mayor Butler stated after the meeting that he had not committed or promised the job to Sneed.

It was learned after the meeting that a heated discussion occurred between Director Newman and members of the County Commission. Newman was angry that members of the Commission did not support her daughter and accused a select few of causing problems. The following day a meeting was held at the EMA office and again Newman became upset with a commissioner. This time she requested Chief Deputy Joel Pate to escort the commissioner from her office.

During Alley’s presentation, it was brought to the audience’s attention that Carroll County does not have a true county fire department. According to TCA 5-17-101, to operate as a county fire department, the Commission must pass a resolution to create the department. In 1977, Carroll County created an emergency management agency that made a quasi-version of a county fire department.

As the fire department evolved, it became something of a hybrid version as it appeared to be a county department on the surface but operated more as a non-profit organization. Alley stated that the department needed to make a decision and could no longer “ride the fence.” He added that while Carroll County technically is not an actual fire department it still has increased liability. Alley went on to cite Burton v. Carroll County, 2001, showing how the county and the Yuma Fire Station were indistinguishable in the court’s decision.

It was noted, that there are three groups the county has to take into consideration: the volunteer firefighters, the taxpayers and the county government. With the increased risk and liabilities along with changes to OSHA standards, many rural fire departments are closing. Fire departments are not considered an essential service at the county level in the State of Tennessee. With that being said, Carroll County has three possible choices on the direction of the rural fire department: it could be disbanded, pass a resolution creating an actual department, or have the fire stations reorganize as individual non-profit 501(c)(3).

If the county decides to pass a resolution creating an actual fire department then the department needs to become more structured. One of the steps would require the county and stations to revisit ownership of real property along with any mutual aid agreements. There would need to be a clear hierarchy with an actual fire chief and assistant chief with a training officer. Each station would have a chief who would report to the county chief with reports.

Currently, the Commission is awaiting a recommendation from the County Rural Fire Department Committee.