Wilson’s Mills broke ground Tuesday on its newest fire station at 2024 Gordon Road in Clayton (NC), wral.com reported. Even though the fire station will be in Clayton, it will be the third to serve Wilson’s Mills.

Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony celebrated the start of construction of a temporary fire station, which is set to open by July. The permanent fire station is set to open in 2024, the report said.

After the permanent station is built, crews will turn the temporary facility into a training facility, according to the report.

White Oak Fire Department celebrated receiving its new Pierce fire engine Tuesday, kltv.com reported. The new engine took about a year and a half to be delivered since it was custom built.

A fire official said their previous main engine was aging out and parts were getting hard to find, the report said.

The fire official said the department will train on the truck before it’s put into service in the next few weeks.

Washington County has agreed to pay for an unexpected expense for the Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire Department, kwhi.com reported.

Commissioners Tuesday voted to reimburse the department in the amount of $38,830 to replace a fire truck engine, the report said. This came after a commissioner workshop last week where it was discovered that insurance did not take care of the cost for the engine.  

A county official said this is an emergency situation for the community and surrounding areas, and that it is “crucial” to have the vehicle running properly, according to the report. 

A commissioner said expenses like this cannot be budgeted for, but the interlocal agreement the county has with the volunteer fire departments allows for these purchases, the report said.

“Thank you Washington County commissioners for the help, greatly appreciated… and Great job Captain Dustin Brown for Representing the Chappell Hill Vol. Fire Dept. At the meeting!” the fire department posted on Facebook.

Owen-Salt Creek Volunteer Fire Department took delivery of a 2023 Kenworth Tanker-Pumper recently, CrothersvilleTimes.com reported. The $450,000 firefighting apparatus can hold 3,500 gallons of water and pump at a rate of 500 gallons per minute, the report said.

The rural fire department protects property in Owen and Salt Creek Townships of western Jackson County representing the largest fire territory— over 97 square miles— in the county. The fire department covers an area from south of US 50 north to the Brown County line in northwest Jackson County, according to the report.