MECKLENBURG CO., N.C.,None — Mecklenburg County's volunteer firefighters could see a steep reduction in funding from the county in a matter of months.
Volunteer departments could lose more than 50 percent of their county-provided funding, which could mean a reduction in personnel and longer response times.
Mecklenburg County has 17 volunteer fire departments.
Last year, Mecklenburg devoted $1.8 million to those departments. County leaders have warned that funding for the next fiscal year, which begins in July, could be majorly cut.
The Idlewild Volunteer Fire Department gets about 3,000 calls a year from people living near Mint Hill and Matthews. The county provides $87,000 annually to the department for expenses like trucks and firefighters' pay.
Chief Ron Cheves said he might have to cut jobs if the county cuts funding, which could impact the amount of time it takes for the department to respond to emergencies.
"A minute or two can make a huge amount of difference on saving someone's life or putting out a fire," Cheves said.
And if response times suffer, area residents will feel the impact.
Three weeks ago, Barbara Covington's neighbor's house on Large Oak Lane, located near Mint Hill, caught fire.
She called 911 when she saw the fire, and now says she can't imagine cutting volunteers.
"I would be concerned because when you need help, you need it like right away, especially [in] a fire," Covington said. "I would really think twice about cutting the budget for that."
County commissioners do have alternative options. They could propose a tax for people living in areas serviced by volunteer fire departments or force towns with volunteer departments to cover the cost.
County Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Roberts said they will look closely at how volunteer departments spend money to determine how to move forward.
"I think what we're going to have to do is be strategic and look at, you know, what is the bare minimum you need to operate," Roberts said. Volunteer departments will be notified of any county budget cuts in May or June.