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Last updated on Friday, February 19, 2016
(NASHVILLE) - The Nashville Volunteer Fire Department is short staffed and looking for volunteer firefighters.
The Brown County Democrat reported that three firefighters quit the department last week and Chief Dallas "Dak" Kelp says two more are leaving by April.
That leaves the department with six firefighters. Chief Kelp says personality issues, stress and the physical demands of the job are some of the reasons firefighters are leaving the department.
One leaving in April is Assistant Chief Steve Shaner who is retiring after serving 25 years. The other four leaving have each served an average of four years.
Of the remaining six firefighters their availability depends on their work schedules.
Chief Kelp had also planned to retire at the end of 2015, but decided to fulfill the department's current fire service contract which expires December 31.
On average last year Nashville firefighters donated more than 3,000 hours each, responded to more than 600 runs.
Chief Kelp says it takes a minimum of five firefighters to extinguish a building fire - two inside, two outside ready to provide backup and one incident commander who also runs the truck. Until Kelp can recruit more firefighters, the department will rely on mutual aid from volunteer firefighters in Jackson Township, Fruitdale's station in Bean Blossom, Hamblen Township's station in Gatesville or Van Buren Township.
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