Councilman wants to apply the brakes

Glenn Hart was far from thrilled to learn that a volunteer fire station within his Oconee County District Five is inching toward a sea change.  Earlier this week 101.7/WGOG NEWS reported, what appears to be writing on the wall, the Corinth-Shiloh Fire Department is working toward being able to recruit its first full-time, paid fire fighter – in addition to its traditional corps of volunteers.  But, as one department supporter tells us, it is getting increasingly difficult to find those individuals who are willing to work as volunteer fire fighters.  But County Councilman Hart says not so fast.  He believes Oconee County’s move in recent years to staff its countywide emergency services department with full-time fire and rescue responders is counterproductive to fire fighters who volunteer to serve their communities. In a mailing to those who Corinth-Shiloh serves, the fire and cross-trained fire department said, “We are currently exploring the process of implementing this (having paid fire and medical personnel 24/7)”.