In rural areas of Collin County, the Blue Ridge fire department is facing challenges in meeting the growing demand for emergency services. With limited resources and volunteer firefighters, the department struggles to keep up with the increasing need for help.
The small town of Blue Ridge, serving a population of about 1,000 people, covers 68 square miles of unincorporated land in addition to its own residents. These rural areas do not belong to any cities or towns, making it difficult for emergency services to reach those in distress quickly.
The fire department relies on volunteers like Billy Dunn and Alyssa Phifer, who work as paid firefighters and volunteer on their days off. However, the resources available to the volunteer department are limited, with old fire trucks requiring frequent maintenance and repairs.
Despite the high demand for services in unincorporated areas, the budget allocated by Collin County is insufficient to cover the costs of new equipment or paid positions at the fire department. Blue Ridge gets only a small portion of the $1 million budget set aside for fire services in unincorporated areas, leading to strain on the city’s funds.
The long distances volunteers have to travel for county calls result in increased fuel costs and wear and tear on the aging trucks. As the population in Collin County continues to grow, the demand for emergency aid rises, posing budgetary concerns for fire services.
While Collin County is exploring solutions to address the issue, volunteer firefighters like Dunn and Phifer continue to respond to calls for help using the resources available to them. However, the department is in need of more support to ensure they can effectively provide services to those in need.
In the meantime, other cities in the county are considering opting out of serving unincorporated areas unless they receive more financial aid. Restructuring the approach to fire and emergency services, similar to Denton County’s model, could provide a long-term solution to the challenges faced by rural fire departments in Collin County.
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