Midway to discuss moving fire protection to Liberty County

UPDATE 1:56 p.m.: CORRECTS agency name to Liberty County Fire Services; ADDS comments from State Rep. Al Williams

Midway Mayor Levern Clancy and Mayor Pro Tempore Clemontine Washington say the city may ask Liberty County to take over fire services.

Both Liberty County Fire Services and the Midway Volunteer Fire Department cover calls in the City of Midway. About 2,293 people in 817 households live in the city, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest figures.

The city council canceled a special called meeting and work session on the fire department Monday, citing lack of quorum. Georgia Fire Standards Training Council Executive Director Randy Toms, who’s based in Forsyth, had come to town for the meetings.

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After the meeting, Clancy told The Current the city would either establish a full-time fire department or talk with the county about taking over “soon…real soon, as soon as I get in touch with (LCFS Fire Chief Brian) Darby, Chairman (Donald Lovette) and whatever.”

In an e-mail to The Current Tuesday, Lovette confirmed, “As far as assuming the total responsibilities of the  Midway that has not been discussed. Midway reached out to the county today requesting a meeting to discuss fire services.”

On Wednesday, State Rep. Al Williams told The Current he thinks the Midway VFD has done a fine job, but that times are changing and that citizen safety is paramount.

“I would certainly be in favor of some substations,” Williams said. “We have a great chief with the county and the start of a fantastic professional fire service.”

The county’s rapid growth, he said, means “we need a big full-time fire department.”

Clancy said he had ordered the “closed” signs placed on the station house last week “because they say it’s black mold in there. And why would I let volunteers go in there with black mold in the building, which they don’t know it’s black mold, because one inspector told me he can’t come because he’s not qualified for that. It’s like 300 different kinds of mold. So why let them in the building, health reasons, and then they come back after they get sick and want to sue the city? So that’s why I put the sign on the door.”

As to firefighter’s allegations of city officials neglecting the station, he added, “The fire guys don’t know what the city takes care of.”

Clancy said he’s waiting to hear back from Liberty County Building Inspector Paul Zechman: “He’s gonna find me an inspector to come out and do the job.”

Neither Washington nor Clancy knew about water from a missing downspout undermining the station’s foundation.

Would the city get a new firehouse?

“They got one down the road,” Clancy said, referring to LCFS’ new headquarters. “They won’t need ‘em that close. But, if they want to, hey, at the end, we got to negotiate. And I can’t speak for the county. All I can speak for is Midway.”

Washington said LCFS was covering most calls in the city, which “will be in conversation with Chief Darby soon, because we understand it’s not our job to run all of their calls or most of them, but we will be in conversation with him.” Although the city is responsible for its citizens’ safety, she said, Midway residents pay taxes to the county, not the city.

Darby previously told The Current that fire departments do not get involved in negotiating agreements between cities and the county. Midway’s firefighters say it defies logic to have fewer people covering the same area.

Meanwhile, the city has been advertising to fill firefighter positions but has not said how it would pay for them. Washington said officials would “look at our budget, look at other set-asides that may be there…. If we have to go another route, then we’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that our citizens are protected.”

Tensions between City Hall and the fire department were apparent after the meeting.

Washington bristled at allegations she had not responded to firefighters: “You ask them who purchased the suppressor gloves that they need. You ask them who purchased the equipment so that we can do hydrants and testing. You ask them who purchased 100 foot of hose that was needed for the fire truck. You ask them who purchased the fire extinguisher and the water can that’s needed on the fire truck….You ask them those questions.”

Volunteer firefighter Harley Keefer asked Washington whether the city had any batteries for the department’s radios, then brought in a bag with several batteries and chargers. “How am I supposed to run calls if my radio doesn’t even work?” Keefer asked. “My deputy chief, a hundred times, he’s gotten in contact with y’all.”

Washington said the city does not have a formal requisition process for the fire department. Instead, she said, they write down a list and give it to her: “They’re not full employees of the city, so why should they be ordering things for the city?”

Back at the fire station, firefighters said they are angry at claims they don’t answer enough calls to justify the station’s existence. Campbell produced logbooks documenting months of calls the firefighters had answered.

If the station were to close, Campbell added, he and 3 other full-time firefighters who volunteer at Midway would keep their certifications — but the other volunteers would lose theirs.

Washington, who pointed out that she and other elected officials in Midway did not work full time on city matters, suggested firefighters come in on their days off to fix things.

“I mean, they have days off if they’re volunteers,” she said. “What couldn’t they come in and take it (the generator) to where it needs to go?”

On Monday evening, a thunderstorm rolled in. Rain began dripping from the ceiling and collecting in a light fixture in the room behind the station’s office.

Campbell noted that the water leak caused a fire hazard.