Warren County Fire and Rescue Services hopes to add 26 career staffers by 2025 for estimated costs between $4.7 and $5.5 million.
Fire and rescue staff recently presented the Board of Supervisors a five-year staffing plan that Chief Richard Mabie said would help quell the downward trend in volunteerism coinciding with increasing emergency calls.
The plan states that fire and rescue responded to 6,347 calls in 2018, which is an increase of about 14 percent increase over five years.
Mabie explained that of the county’s eight stations, Rivermont, Shenandoah Shores and Fortsmouth are fully volunteered-based with no career staff.
The remaining five stations have at least two career staff at all times. Staff includes 34 full-time employees, 12 part-time and 65 operational volunteers.