Arnold residents have mixed reaction after city votes to close 117-year-old No. 1 fire department
After 117 years, Arnold City Council voted to close one of the city’s fire departments.
In a 3-2 vote Tuesday night, the city council approved the immediate closing of the Arnold No. 1 Fire Company.
“It’s definitely a concern, not only for me but for anybody else that has a dire emergency,” said Aaron McFadden of Arnold.
According to Channel 11′s partners at TribLIVE.com, the volunteer fire company was struggling to recruit members, reportedly having only about seven active firefighters. The Trib also reports the department had been borrowing a fire engine since late last year.
With the No. 1 fire department now closed, that doesn’t mean the city will be without firefighters. Arnold No. 2 will now cover the city entirely on its own and it’s less than half a mile down the road.
“I feel like it’s going to be hard for a lot of people to get fires controlled because if you’ve only got one responding fire department, it’s going to suck because that’s a lot more work for them,” McFadden said.
The volunteer fire company assured folks that safety would not be jeopardized, saying on Facebook that they’d still be protected by Arnold Fire Company No. 2 and the mutual aid agreements with surrounding communities.
Paul Hekles, who’s lived in the city his entire life, believes the 30 plus firefighters will be enough to respond to calls.
“I think No. 2 can handle everything,” Hekles said. “No, not concerned at all.”
But some are not entirely convinced.
“We need two because you never know if there’s one big emergency down there and then one down there,” said 15-year-old Liana Savage of Arnold.
Mkyhia Gordon, 16, agrees.
“I think two would be safer,” the Arnold resident said.
The fire chief for Arnold No. 2 said the former No. 1 firefighters can apply to join his department.
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