Pender County Commissioners update fire protection agreement as residents call for Union Rescue Squad to be saved

BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — The Pender County Board of Commissioners approved a consent agenda at their meeting which includes an amendment to the fire protection agreement with the Penderlea Fire Department, but much of the public comment period was based on another conflict involving emergency services.

On June 17th, 2024, the Pender County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution defining the Penderlea County Service District for Fire Protection. This created a county service
district that includes the Penderlea and Shiloh-Columbia portions of the County with Penderlea Fire Department providing fire service for the district.

The amendment updates the map of the district in the Fire Protection Agreement, and updates the agreement to remove the word “volunteer” from what used to be called the Penderlea Volunteer Fire Department before the word “volunteer” was removed from the legal name of the organization.

At the meeting, a number of residents used the public comment period to talk about the county’s conflict with Union Rescue Squad, who claim they have to sign a new, non-negotiable contract or cease to exist by the end of the month.

“This station was started years ago because Pender County could not and would not offer any kind of reasonable medical assistance and emergency transportation to the point that the people of this district banded together to form what is now considered Union Rescue Squad,” said Wallace resident Billy Giddeons.

“We’ve seen family members and loved ones be able to be assisted by them at 1 o’clock in the morning,” said former county commissioner Jimmy Tate, adding, “2, 3, and 4 o’clock.”

“If Union Rescue is disbanded, you’re going to have one unit in Penderlea that’s going to be responding, where I think they’ve got three units in Union, so if one unit’s out, it’s possible there’s another set of people ready to go,” said Maple Hill resident Warren Wouten.

Union Rescue Squad Chief Diane Giddeons also spoke at the end of the public comment period denouncing so-called lies written against her and asking for negotiations to continue.