Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Department to no longer provide fire protection services
PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A lawsuit involving Pender County and the Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Department has been resolved.
According to a news release from Pender County, Shiloh-Columbia will turn over property and fire equipment for use within the fire district and will no longer provide any fire protection services.
Thursday’s announcement comes after months of legal differences between the department and the county.
In October of 2023, Pender County filed a lawsuit against the Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Department for failure to fulfill the terms of their contract to provide fire services. This included failure to provide staff with adequate training and certifications, failure to maintain properly functioning equipment, failure to ensure staff wear required protective equipment, and failure to comply with financial reporting requirements.
On Monday, the Pender County Board of Commissioners met to consider the establishment of a new fire district.
The existing station on Highway 421 will be refurbished and all equipment will be assessed before returning to service, and will be operated by Penderlea Volunteer Fire Department. Penderlea Fire Department will continue to provide fire services out of their existing station on Highway 11 as well as the refurbished station on Highway 421. Both stations will be staffed with a mix of paid employees and volunteers and will cover the former Penderlea and Shiloh-Columbia fire tax districts.
According to Pender County, tax rates will remain the same for all residents in the area and some may see improved homeowner insurance rates due to lowered ISO ratings. ISO ratings are derived from inspections of fire departments by the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal that consider training, response times, equipment, and other factors important to providing adequate fire protection.
Pender County Fire Marshal Amy Burton says, “This was a true team effort, both inside and outside the County government. The board of commissioners demonstrated trust and courage in making a difficult decision when they saw that the status quo was unacceptable. We deeply appreciate the cooperation from Pender EMS & Fire, Burgaw, Atkinson, and Penderlea fire departments who stepped up to cover the district over the past several months and the Office of the State Fire Marshal who provided us the time and space needed to achieve a meaningful improvement in fire service in western Pender.”
