HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — There is a new era in the town of Huntersville as it welcomed its new mayor and new members of the Huntersville Board of Commissioners. The new board moved to approve the town's budget, which included funding to hire some full-time staff for the fire department.
The budget amendment will fund the positions of a fire chief along with 18 other full-time employees, including six firefighters, six engineers and six captain positions for the start of the new year.
For months, the town has considered changing the way it runs its fire department.
Only the police department is funded by Huntersville. The ambulance service is funded by the county, but the fire department is handed by a nonprofit group that handles staff.
The fire department is currently comprised of volunteers and part time members, usually from other fire departments in the area with firefighters who may choose to use their off time to pick up shifts in Huntersville.
While this plan worked for years, Huntersville Fire Chief Jim Dotoli has asked to change from the town’s nonprofit-based fire department into a fully funded town fire department.
“When you call 911, I want to make sure a fire truck shows up," Dotoli said. "We're open 365 [days a year], seven days a week so we were really trying to get that guarantee of people here.”
Dotoli previously told WCNC Charlotte he needed to be able have full time staff on hand because it has become tough to staff the department on all shifts. Dotoli said the town needs to create full-time positions because it’s getting more difficult to keep stations staffed with part-time employees, which the town board has unanimously agreed to do.
Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.