Volunteer fire station in Haywood County faces possible closure

HAYWOOD COUNTY, Tenn. — Controversy sparks in Haywood County following the potential closure of a volunteer fire station.

After nearly 40 years of serving northern Haywood County residents, Volunteer Fire Department 9 faces possible closure.

During a board meeting on July 22, members unanimously voted to close the station due to conflicts with county leadership.

“It was a very emotional board meeting. It was a tough discussion, like I said, I put more than half of my life into this station, so it’s going to be tough to close,” said Jere Wright, district captain for Volunteer Fire Department 9. “There was a county commissioner here who asked us what they could do to keep us from closing. We gave them 60 days to come up with a plan and basically it was two things, get a new chief or if the county Mayor David Livingston would sign a piece of paper with the fire marshals office making us an independent station.”

We spoke with Mayor David Livingston who shared his utmost confidence that Chief Feathers will resolve this issue. As for the station closing, here’s what the mayor had to say.

“If they shut that station down, we’ll open up another station. We’ll buy property and open up our own station and have it running inside 90 days, as far as a volunteer fire department. Now, right now as far as disasters itself, we have a full time fire department answering calls countywide,” said Mayor Livingston.

Mayor Livingston also stated that VFD-9 has a problem with progress, as the county is pushing for more cross-trained volunteers.

The 60-day deadline is approaching fast on September 22. According to Wright and Chief Feathers, negotiations are underway.

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