Published August 22 in the Lebanon Enterprise

Marion considers merging rescue squad with fire departments

LEBANON ENTERPRISE

LEBANON — If Will Knopp and some other former Marion County Rescue Squad members have their way, fire departments in the county will soon control rescue services.

Knopp told magistrates during the regular monthly fiscal court meeting last week that firefighters would play a dual role in the merger and that would prevent problems that have plagued the current rescue squad for the last few months.

Under Knopp's proposal, the current rescue squad would be disbanded and fire departments in Loretto, Bradfordsville, Raywick and Gravel Switch would be equipped to handle rescue services. The proposal includes the Marion County Fire Department, which is housed in the Lebanon Fire Department's building but is a separate organization.

"I've been kicking this idea around for years but there's never been any problems before so I never said anything," Knopp said after the meeting.

Knopp wrote the proposal but consulted with other firefighters that weren't included on the roster of the county's recently restructured rescue squad.

Marion County Emergency Management Director J.T. Whitlock dismissed nearly half of the squad recently in an effort to squash a disagreement over who was in charge of the volunteer organization.

Whitlock handpicked the members that were allowed to remain. The other members were asked to reapply for positions.

Of the ones dismissed, 16 were also members of county fire departments. Knopp has served on the Lebanon Fire Department since 1994. He joined the rescue squad in 1992.

He said local firefighters believe they are being discriminated against.

"We contacted the American Civil Liberties Union and told them we believed we were being discriminated against as a group because we're members of fire departments," Knopp said. "We've asked the ACLU to investigate."

Whitlock said he did not blackball firefighters from the squad. He said he wanted to start the restructured squad with a small roster and kept "those that have never given us any trouble... those that have never sent e-mails to Frankfort or called TV stations to come to our meetings."

Newly-appointed rescue squad Commander Chris Coyle pointed out that two members of the restructured squad are firefighters, another is a former firefighter and one person that was invited to be on the squad, but declined, was a firefighter.

Coyle is also a former firefighter.

"It was stressed at that meeting that all are welcome to apply," Coyle said.

"The ones dismissed are encouraged to apply to be back on the squad," Whitlock added. "Some of the ones dismissed have many good attributes. They just couldn't get along when they got together.

"We would like to integrate them back in one at a time. We need congenial, compatible people working on that squad."

Knopp said his proposal would benefit the community in ways the current service can not.

According to the restructured squad's Order of Affiliation with the county, the roster is limited to 30 members. Under Knopp's proposal, more than 100 men and women could be on the roster.

"Let's be realistic. People go out of town and they take vacations," he said.
Furthermore, because of a "mutual aid" agreement between fire departments, rescue squads would have unlimited back-up, he said.

A board consisting of the five fire chiefs would rule the merged organizations.
Marion County Fire Chief Ricky Mattingly and Bradfordsville Fire Chief Jimmy Kirkland said they supported the proposal. Gravel Switch Fire Chief Jimmy Smothers said he had no comment.

Telephone messages were left for Raywick Fire Chief Tim Fowler and Loretto Fire Chief Joe Masterson but weren't returned as of press time.

Knopp also pointed out that the Order of Affiliation does not allow the rescue squad to respond to situations involving hazardous materials.

Knopp said trucks haul 80 percent of flammable liquid, which is a hazardous material. Fire departments are capable of handling situations involving flammable liquids, which means that service would be offered rather than taken away.
Knopp said firefighters are required to have 170 hours of training to be certified. Some of those hours must be spent on rescue training.

"The equipment would be spread out and carried on trucks that all but one department already has," Knopp said. "It would be an easy transition to make."

Knopp predicted it would take two to three years to equip every department.
Whitlock believes the merger is not feasible and would do more harm than good to the county's rescue service.

"That would divide your forces and the fire departments out in the county don't have the space to accommodate the additional equipment," he said.

Besides, Whitlock added, if the rescue squad merges with the fire departments, he believes all the current rescue squad's equipment would have to be returned to the state.

"If they merged then I'd be in charge of the fire departments," he said. "If that happened, we wouldn't be able to apply for state funds for the rescue squad and we would have to return everything that was bought with state grants."

In Taylor County, Washington County, Casey County, Russell County, Boyle County and Pulaski County, fire and rescue are separate entities.

Nelson County and LaRue County have combined rescue and fire departments. 

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