Fire department submits corrective action plan to state

Oct. 01--BEAR CREEK -- An Onslow County fire department has submitted a plan to the state that it hopes will address concerns about daytime response and lift it out of probation status.

Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department submitted a corrective action plan Monday to the North Carolina Department of Insurance, which includes the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and is now waiting for the results of the review.

A community meeting is scheduled for 7 tonight at the fire station to go over details of the plan.

The fire department has proposed a three-part plan that would add two part-time firefighters to the one part-time firefighter it now receives from Onslow County.

A letter was sent to the Onslow County Fire and Rescue Commission last week requesting one part-time firefighter for 20 hours a week and another for 10 hours a week. The salaries would be paid through the department's current operational budget.

The department has also recruited additional volunteers with daytime availability to supplement the response by the part-time firefighters.

According to the plan, having the part-time personnel will ensure there is a trained and certified firefighter at the station Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. A daytime volunteer schedule will be set up to make sure there will be minimum response of four firefighters and a fire apparatus.

"The plan is to make sure we have the coverage," said Glenn Zurek, public information officer for the department.

The third part of the plan is the reorganization of the board of directors so that four of the seven seats are held by members of the Bear Creek community, including the secretary, treasurer and two at-large seats.

Zurek gave an overview of the plan submitted during a Tuesday night regular meeting of the fire department membership.

A group of Bear Creek residents attended the meeting with a request that the fire department approve merging with the Swansboro Fire Department.

"Every one of us in the community appreciates your volunteer efforts and what you do for us. That said, we are concerned about the current situation," said retired Marine Col. Bruce Gombar, who read a request signed by 22 residents.

In particular, they are concerned with the impact on their insurance rates if an acceptable plan is not in place before the department's probation ends in early November.

If the department is not found in compliance, the state Office of the Fire Marshal could take the department's 6 rating and drop it to a Class 10 volunteer fire department, in which case the county would not likely contract with the department to provide fire service to the area and residents could see a significant increase in their insurance rates.

- In the case that the department directors did not vote to approve the merger, the residents asked that a merger with Swansboro Fire Department be submitted as an option in the corrective action plan.

There have been informal discussions between the department and the town regarding a merger, but town commissioners were notified at this month's board meeting that the department would be pursuing a different plan of action.

The plan submitted to the state lists several potential options but also notes that not all of them are feasible or supported.

The hiring of full-time firefighters is not supported by county commissioners or the Bear Creek community because it would require an increase in taxes for residents of the fire district to cover the cost.

A merger with nearby Hubert Volunteer Fire Department is not supported by the county and would require an inspection by the Office of the State Fire Marshal to see whether the newly formed fire district would have to be reclassified. And there is no guarantee it would address the concerns, according to the plan.

The merger with the Swansboro Fire Department is also an option listed in the plan but the department said the community has been split on this action.

Residents in attendance said there needs to be a "backup" plan if the plan proposed is not approved. The merger, they said, should be an option given full consideration.

"There needs to be some alternate in case the other options don't work out," resident Steve Bartley said.

Zurek said that the fact that they are pursuing a different plan doesn't mean the concept of a merger with the Town of Swansboro is off the table.

He said the department has been talking with the town and looking into the merger possibility as well.

"It's not that we are sitting here doing nothing; both plans are going forward," Zurek said.

The membership voted to continue with the action plan and have the backup plan, which has already been started, as the merger with Swansboro Fire Department.

However, even if a merger proceeded, department officials noted that there would still be many details that would have to be worked out and it would take time to implement.

"It does not happen overnight," Zurek said.

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