By Skyla Carter
During the Tuesday, May 19 meeting of the Holmes County Board of County Commissioners, board members unanimously approved a proposal from Holmes County Sheriff John Tate reorganizing fire services across the county under his leadership.
Ahead of the meeting, Tate said he met with fire chiefs from each department to discuss how the transition could affect local stations and personnel.
During the meeting, Tate also announced the hiring of Jeff McVay as Holmes County Fire Chief. McVay recently retired from Walton County Fire Rescue after 30 years of service in the fire industry. Tate said many local departments already know and respect McVay, adding that his leadership and experience will be an asset moving forward.
In the coming weeks, Tate and McVay plan to meet with city councils in municipalities that currently operate fire departments to discuss the county’s vision for Holmes County Fire Rescue and whether those departments may be interested in partnering under the new system.
One issue discussed during the meeting involved fire trucks currently titled in the names of individual departments. Tate said officials are working to develop a plan to address those concerns. He also noted that he would prefer participating departments be covered under the Sheriff’s Office liability insurance policy.
The proposal places oversight and coordination of volunteer fire departments under the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office (JHCSO), excluding municipalities that choose not to participate.
County officials said the plan is intended to improve emergency response times, firefighter safety, accountability, training standards, and consistency in fire protection services throughout Holmes County.
Under the proposal, the county would continue providing financial and administrative support for fire services, including insurance coverage for fire apparatus and equipment, general liability coverage, and workers’ compensation for firefighters.
The plan also establishes new requirements for volunteer firefighters, including completion of an HCSO application, background checks, physical examinations, and drug screenings.
Firefighters who are not currently certified would be required to complete Firefighter I certification and Medical First Responder training within 18 months. Additional training opportunities, including Firefighter II, EMT, and paramedic certification, could also be supported through financial assistance and training agreements.
HCSO Fire Rescue would oversee countywide operational standards, including response procedures, training coordination, equipment oversight, mutual aid coordination, and cooperation between fire services, EMS, emergency management, and law enforcement agencies.
The proposal also states that department fundraisers and public events would require approval through HCSO Fire Rescue administration to improve scheduling and coordination with county operations.
As part of the transition, HCSO Fire Rescue would manage the remaining $63,679.33 in county fire service funds for the current fiscal year. Officials also plan to work with county commissioners to develop a sustainable operating budget for the next fiscal year while pursuing additional state and federal grant opportunities.
The proposal includes a daytime staffing plan that would place one paid firefighter at the Pine Log Fire Station Monday through Friday for eight hours each day to help improve daytime emergency response coverage.
Long-term goals include establishing full-time 24-hour fire protection coverage, improving firefighter recruitment and retention, expanding training opportunities, upgrading equipment and technology, and strengthening coordination among emergency response agencies throughout Holmes County.
The transition is expected to take effect by June 1 of this year.
Staff Report 
GARETT VALCOURT 