WYTHE COUNTY TO STUDY FIRE AND RESCUE UNITS' NEEDS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, January 27, 1992                   TAG: 9201270075
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Southwest bureau
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE                                LENGTH: Short
WYTHE COUNTY TO STUDY FIRE AND RESCUE UNITS' NEEDS
Representatives of each Wythe County fire department will join the county Board of Supervisors in assessing the needs of fire and rescue agencies in the county.
The decision grew out of a meeting Saturday between county firefighters and the supervisors to discuss department equipment and facility needs. The firefighters also wanted communications-system improvements and requested that their vehicles be placed under county insurance.
Barren Springs Fire Chief Dennis Barnes said departments in Barren Springs, Ivanhoe and Max Meadows could use $2.5 million for needed capital improvements. Speedwell firefighter Jerry Porter said it would cost the county $245,000 a year just for manpower if it had to create a county department instead of relying on volunteers.
Wythe County United Way spokesman Gary Collier said such services as fire and rescue squads and adult literacy needed to be in place before the board funded other activities. It should first take care of these basic services, he said, "and forget some of this other . . . Really and truly, is recreation as important as fire departments and rescue squads?"

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB