HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — After a man’s home burned down, two Sumner County fire departments have now agreed to help each other after years of disagreement.
Last week, News 2 reported that Hendersonville firefighters did not respond to a house fire that was just outside of city limits after the Shackle Island Volunteer Fire Department (SIVFD) declined to sign a mutual aid agreement with the city.
However, on Wednesday morning, a one-year mutual aid agreement was signed by both parties. The agreement includes scenarios that will warrant “automatic” aid and dictates what Hendersonville Fire will do if they assist SIVFD on a call.
“This is exciting. We’re able to continue to have a priority on the people who live within the city limits of Hendersonville, but we’re also able to help our neighbors,” said Hendersonville Mayor Jamie Clary.
“It’s important for agencies that touch boundaries to have local agreements. No fire department alone can do things sometimes when big events happen,” added Hendersonville Fire Chief Scotty Bush.
The four-page agreement was signed by Mayor Jamie Clary and the Treasurer for Shackle Island Fire, Steve Frost, who founded the volunteer department in the 1980s.
It was Frost who initiated dialogue with Hendersonville Fire last week to get this deal done. He declined to speak with News 2.
“It’s about firefighters being firefighters. They always want to give to their community and around their community,” said Chief Bush. “And at the end of the day, some of the stuff going around is just people seeing what sticks, and it’s not accurate.”
“This is just about protecting people, lives and property, and that’s what firefighters are for,” Bush continued.
So, what exactly does this new aid agreement say?
“The most urgent incidents, when the Shackle Island Volunteer Fire Department calls us, we’re going to go show up now,” Mayor Clary explained. “And the same thing with us. When we need them, they’re going to show up and they’re going to help us out. That’s really the bottom line.”
According to the agreement, situations that warrant “automatic aid” —when HFD is guaranteed to help out— are active shooter situations, and non-medical calls at several local churches and schools.
On the flip side, “mutual aid” —situations that HFD can decline to assist on— are structure fires, entrapment in vehicles, drowning, swift-water rescue, and hazardous materials.
Chief Bush and Mayor Clary emphasized their firefighters will remain focused on Hendersonville residents first.
Ultimately, neither Bush or Clary could answer why this agreement became such a struggle.
“Sometimes, things are a little more difficult in life than they should be,” said Bush. “But if you’re a true leader, you look above those and you find reasons to make it work. And that’s what we’ve done here.”
