PENDER COUNTY, N.C. — In October of 2023, Pender County filed a lawsuit against the Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Department for failure to fulfill the terms of their contract to provide fire services. This included failure to provide staff with adequate training and certifications, failure to maintain properly functioning equipment, failure to ensure staff wear required protective equipment, and failure to comply with financial reporting requirements. As of the first week of June, a settlement agreement has been reached between Pender County and Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Department. Shiloh-Columbia will turn over property and fire equipment for use within the fire district and will no longer provide any fire protection services.
The existing station on Highway 421 will be refurbished, and all equipment will assessed before returning to service, operated by the Penderlea Volunteer Fire Department. The County expects this to be completed within a few months. Penderlea Fire Department will continue to provide fire services out of their existing station on Highway 11 as well as the refurbished station on Highway 421. Both stations will be staffed with a mix of paid staff and volunteers, all of whom will be certified and appropriately trained.
On June 3rd, a public hearing was held during a meeting with the Board of County Commissioners regarding the intent to define the Penderlea County Service District for fire protection. This county service district will cover the former Penderlea and Shiloh-Columbia fire tax districts. Tax rates will remain the same for all residents in the area, and some may see improved homeowner insurance rates due to lowered ISO ratings. ISO ratings are derived from inspections of fire departments by the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal that consider training, response times, equipment, and other factors important to providing adequate fire protection.
It is important to note that fire protection services have been maintained in the Shiloh-Columbia portions of the county throughout this process. Penderlea Volunteer Fire Department, Atkinson Fire Department, Burgaw Fire Department, and Pender EMS & Fire have all stepped up without hesitation to ensure fire protection services in the district continue uninterrupted.
“For Pender County Fire Marshal’s Office, this started with recognizing the need to improve fire service in the western part of the County, keep the public and our firefighters safe, and lower insurance rates for property owners in the district. With the signing of the settlement this week, we have taken concrete steps toward achieving those goals.”
“This was a true team effort inside and outside the County government. The board of commissioners demonstrated trust and courage in making a difficult decision when they saw that the status quo was unacceptable. We deeply appreciate the cooperation from Pender EMS & Fire, Burgaw, Atkinson, and Penderlea fire departments, who stepped up to cover the district over the past several months, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, who provided us with the time and space needed to achieve a meaningful improvement in fire service in western Pender.”
— Fire Marshal Amy Burton