WSMV Channel 4 Rutherford County home destroyed by fire

Rutherford County home destroyed by fire

Rutherford County Commissioners have voted to apply for a FEMA grant that could put four full-time volunteer firefighters on the payroll.  If the county receives the grant, it will only pay for the firemen for a couple of years. Now there's talk about a possible fire tax down the road for homeowners living in the rural part of the county.

Helen Perkins lives right next door to a house that caught fire this morning on Fresca Court just outside the Smyrna city limits. The fire almost spread to her home, but it destroyed Shelia Zilly's home.

"It melted the siding on the house and it also melted our steps to the pool," Perkins said. "(But) poor Shelia (Zilly), God loves her; she lost everything."

Perkins said she would be in favor of a fire tax if it means better fire protection and a quicker response.

"That would be excellent, that would be great just to have that type of protection and know you got it would be excellent," Perkins said.

By the time Rutherford County Fire and Rescue volunteers arrived at the home, flames had already taken over. 

Neighbors claimed it took 20 to 30 minutes for firemen to arrive, but according to fire officials it took only 16 minutes. You have to keep in mind these are volunteers work other jobs - some have to drive their personal vehicles to pick up fire trucks. They risk their lives and don't receive a dime.

"If you have paid firefighters that are at the station 24/7, that's going to enhance your ability, as soon as the tone drops you're out of the door," said Rutherford County Fire & Rescue Chief Larry Farley.

The Rutherford County Commission voted 18-3 last week, giving the green light to apply for a FEMA grant which would allow the department to hire four full-time firefighters for two years and a fire coordinator to help with recruitment for four years. After that, the county would have to pay to keep them.    

Commissioner Matthew Young says down the road a fire tax will be needed to provide fire protection in an ever growing county.

Homeowners in municipalities like Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne and Eagleville will not have to pay that fire tax - only those in unincorporated areas of the county.

"There are 80,000 that are in the unincorporated area of that 260,000 (county residents). By law we cannot use property tax from inside the city limits to pay for fire service in the unincorporated area," Young said.

If a fire tax is ever implemented, the higher property tax could be offset with a lower ISO rating, which means savings on homeowners insurance.

"Just to be able to feel and have the reassurance that we will have someone to help," said Helen Perkins.

Young says the FEMA grant is very competitive and he's hoping Rutherford County will be chosen to receive it. As far as a fire tax, he says that could be four to five years down the road.

Farley is Rutherford County Fire & Rescue's only full-time employee; he oversees 70 volunteers in his department and 315 volunteer firemen countywide. 

Copyright 2012 WSMV (Meredith Corporation).  All rights reserved.