Like many volunteer fire departments across the state, the Star City VFD has faced financial hardships in the past few years and given the tight budget, firefighters have been working with outdated equipment.
A bit of fortune came their way, however, when they received a donation from the Terry Farrell Foundation based on Long Island, N.Y. – a 1990 Pierce Lance fire engine.
Earlier this month a few of the firefighters traveled to River Vale, N.J., to pick up the new engine and bring it home to serve the residents of Star City and its surrounding areas.
In a post to the department’s Facebook page on Feb. 28, members said the truck was going to need a little work before it’s operational.
For its age, the department said body of the 34-year-old engine is in decent shape. But the motor? Not so much. While bringing the fire engine back to West Virginia, the motor gave out and repairs are estimated to cost between $15,000-$18,000. This completely unexpected expense is not something the department can cover anytime soon.
In August 2023, the department issued a transparent statement regarding their financial situation, saying they were struggling to manage a significant debt load from the startup costs of their emergency medical service (EMS) launched in 2010 which was financed by taking out secured credit against the property.
Despite many years of success, the EMS service was one of many in the state to buckle under the heavy weight of COVID and all that came with it and was eventually forced to shut down. Because the EMS operations were the VFD’s primary source of income, the department now struggles to cover that debt.
The department holds various fundraisers throughout the year and receives donations from the community in addition to some state funding and a county levy, but as the busiest all-volunteer department in the county, members say there is still a significant shortfall.
In the post, the department notes it reached out to the Town of Star City, but officials were unable to help.
“After reaching out to the Town of Star City, we find ourselves without the support needed to get our engine back on the road,” the post reads. “Despite previous efforts, we have not received any funding from the Town of Star City.”
The Dominion Post reached out to SCVFD Chief Justin Knotts on Thursday to find out more about the repairs needed for the engine and the firefighters’ attempts for financial support from the town but had not heard back in time for this report.
Star City Mayor Sharon Doyle said she received an e-mail from Knotts requesting an estimated $20,000 to repair the engine. Doyle stated she replied that the request would need to be added to a city council agenda for consideration.
Doyle said no request was made by the department to be added to the agenda and at no time was a request made to sit down and discuss the budget. However, a representative from the department did attend the city council last meeting and spoke during the citizen’s portion.
The rep informed the council the department was raising money to repair the donated engine and to watch for upcoming fundraising events, but never asked for the funding, the mayor said.
Regardless, the town likely does not have the budget to accommodate the request and Doyle feels it is a bit unfair for the department to call out the town on social media for not contributing.
“Unfortunately, Star City doesn’t have the budget that our neighboring municipalities have. We operate on a little over $2 million budget,” Doyle said. “We’re currently working diligently to find funding for a storm water repair project in excess of $8 million to prevent flooding for our residents.”
In addition, the town recently had to absorb $100,000 in unexpected repairs to the city hall building due to water issues.
In its request for assistance, the department is asking the community to help by donating toward the cause.
“If you are able, we would sincerely appreciate any contribution you can make towards the repair costs,” the post states. “Every donation, big or small, brings us one step closer to ensuring our equipment is operational, allowing us to continue serving and protecting our community.”
A link to make a donation online was posted to the Star City Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page. If the necessary funds for the repairs are collected, the department writes it will update the community on the progress being made on its page.
