ROCKINGHAM — The East Rockingham Fire Department will receive funding for equipment and to complete a training facility.
The department had initially requested $40,000 — $23,000 for the purchase of 16 replacement oxygen bottles and the rest to finish construction on a training facility that will be available to all fire departments in the county.
However, the Richmond County Board of Commissioners approved a budget amendment for $50,000, with funds coming from interest on investment revenue.
Chief Dennis Smith Jr. told commissioners that ERFD and Hamlet Fire and Rescue have put “quite a bit of funds” into the training facility.
“This is something this county has needed for well over 30 years,” Smith said. “In the long run, it’s an opportunity to save the citizens money because it’s part of our ISO rating. And in order to get the points on your ISO rating, you’re supposed to have so many hours per year in a training facility.”
Last year, the department was awarded a rating of 4/9E.
Smith said the training facility would not only lower the points of ERFD, but other departments in the county — which, in turn, would lower homeowners insurance premiums.
East Rockingham Fire Chief Dennis Smith Jr. answers questions from the Richmond County Board of Commissioners regarding the department's training facility.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
As for the oxygen bottles, Smith said the department covered the cost last year, but didn’t have the funds this year due to maintenance on aging equipment.
According to Smith, ERFD has so far spent about $20,000 on the training facility, adding that the requested funding would be close to what was needed to finish the project.
Commissioner Jamie Gathings, who is a volunteer with the department, asked Smith how much was needed to finish the training center.
Smith replied that it was “hard to say,” and that the firemen are volunteering their labor to save money. When asked for a ballpark figure, Smith said around $25,000.
Gathings also asked Public Works Director Jerry Austin how much it would cost to install a hydrant at the facility.
According to Austin, the price tag would be $15,000-$20,000 — including around $5,000 for the hydrant alone. The project would also require approval from the N.C. Department of Transportation because the water main is on the opposite side of the road.
There is a hydrant across the street, but to use it, Smith said, they would have to lay a line across — and shut down — Airport Road: “That’s not feasible.”
Austin said that a small hydrant was installed at the department several years ago, but has since broken.
Commissioner Justin Dawkins made a motion to increase the amount to $50,000 to finish the training center and for the county manager to assign Austin and Emergency Services Director Bob Smith to work with the department to develop a solution to the hydrant issue to be presented at a later meeting.
The meaure was unamimously approved.
(NOTE: Gathings asked the county attorney if he needed to recuse himself due to his connection with the department. Since he is receiving no financial benefit, the attorney answered no.)
The East Rockingham Fire Department celebrated 50 years of service to the community March 14 at its main station on Airport Road. See photos from the event on the RO’s Facebook page.
