North Carolina Coastal Community Searching for Fire Protection Services

A coastal North Carolina county is trying to find a way to provide fire protection to a remote island after volunteers quit providing service.

The Daily Advance of Elizabeth City reports Knotts Island volunteer firefighters quit Nov. 8, citing an impasse with the county over a contract extension.

Since then, Currituck County has provided four paid personnel for firefighting while officials search for a long-term solution.

County Manager Dan Scanlon told a town hall that a mix of paid and volunteer firefighters is probably the answer. He says an all-paid department is too expensive and an all-volunteer one isn’t reliable enough.

Volunteer firefighters who spoke at the town hall said they were unaware of the issue until the contract had lapsed.