Merger Of Fire Departments Is Apparently Off The Table

It appears a possible merger of the Pembroke and Fairview volunteer fire departments has been extinguished.

During a public meeting Thursday evening at the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department, Fairview residents showed overwhelming support for keeping their fire department independent and not merging.

The public meeting followed an information and question session with Pembroke Fire Chief Nick Belair, in which numerous residents expressed their disinterest in seeing a merger between the two departments.

The idea for the merger reportedly came after Fairview Fire Department Board Chairman Mike Tino-Cunniffe went to the Pembroke department to propose the idea of it, without the board’s approval to do so.

Christian County Emergency Management Director Randy Graham says the Fairview department will now go through a restructuring process to fix all of the issues.

The Fairview department will host the public meeting Friday evening, June 21 at 7:00 at the fire station at 10960 Jefferson Davis Highway.

Graham adds Travis Martin will be the Acting Chief until the board is established and elects a new Chief.

The restructuring process will take some time but neighboring fire departments, including Highland in Todd County, are volunteering to step up and assist the Fairview department with any emergency calls.