BEDFORD – The Shawswick and Guthrie board of trustees voted unanimously Thursday night to develop the Lawrence County Fire Territory.
Both boards passed resolutions to develop the new territory. The boards also passed an interlocal agreement between the two townships.
Those attending were Shawswick Township Trustee Millard Jones and Advisory Board members Reno Bates, Jennie Edwards, and Amy Kleber. Guthrie Township Trustee Stacie Ratliff and Advisory Board members Nick Hubbard, and Angela Myers. Guthrie Township Advisory Board member Brooke Horner-Hayes was not present.
Voting yes on the creation of the new fire territory were Reno Bates, Jennie Edward, Amy Kleber, Nick Hubbard, and Angela Myers.
The next step according to Lawrence County Fire Territory Chief Bob Brown is to purchase a primary and a backup ambulance and then hire staff for the Lawrence County Fire Territory. Each individual hired must be Firefighter I and II certified and either an emergency medical responder or emergency medical technician.
Residents need to know there will continue to be a Shawswick Volunteer Fire Department. The Lawrence County Fire Territory will be a separate corporation, added Chief Brown.
“There is still a lot of work to do,” said Chief Brown. “We will start service on January 1, 2023, at the stroke of midnight.”
There will be four personnel on staff at all times, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These firefighters will be part-time employees.
The Lawrence County Fire Territory home station will be located at the Shawswick Volunteer Fire Department headquarters on Sunny Acre Drive.
The Fire Territory’s ambulance will be available to respond to any location in Lawrence County.
