As our local towns and cities continue to pass their new budgets, one local fire department is excited to get some additional funding.
The Town of Cornelius has allocated $523,000 to hire six new full-time firefighters. The additional staff will bring the Cornelius–Lemley Fire Department closer to their goal of having 15 full-time firefighters per shift by the year 2034.
Currently, the department employees 10 firefighters per shift, only two of which work full-time. The new hires will get that number up to 12 firefighters per shift, with four being full-time and eight part-time.
“We want to show up to the calls with a fully staffed truck. We don’t want to show up shorthanded when someone’s life is in danger,” said Cornelius firefighter Jordan Lee.
The department has a mutual aid agreement with several surrounding agencies.