Two Webster County volunteer fire departments are joining forces

WEBSTER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Two volunteer fire departments in Webster County will soon combine forces.

The Cumberland and Clarkson-Fame Volunteer Fire Departments will be one department.

They’ll be renamed to Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department Station 1 and Station 2.

This isn’t anything new in the county.

About a year ago, two other departments tried the same thing with good results.

Several things sparked the idea for the Cumberland and Clarkson-Fame Volunteer Fire Departments to join forces.

“The idea is there’s a shortage of volunteers and it will make the departments stronger and I’m hoping we can recruit more volunteers,” says Webster County Fire Coordinator Barry Rushing.

Last year, the Walthall and Bellefontaine Volunteer Fire Departments combined, and Rushing says it’s worked out great.

“Better response and have more people, and like we said, it made them stronger. It’s going really good. Serving the community a lot better.”

The Cumberland and Clarkson stations are less than ten miles a part.

Cumberland Fire Chief Bobby Jackson will oversee both of them.

He says once the two officially merge, each station will have automatic back-up.

“We’re paged separately now, so what I’m trying to say, say if Station 1 had a call, in the situation it’s in now, they would respond to the call, then if they needed backup, they would call us and we would back up, but this a way, we’ll save time. We’ll automatically have a truck en route.”

Having Cumberland and Clarkson firefighters working together, not only means more manpower, but it will also help with getting grants.

“It will enhance that because you’ve got more equipment that’s needed. You have more personnel that needs equipment, so in the long run, it should help.”

It could also possibly help with insurance rates.

“I don’t know if it will really save any money or not, because you’ve still got the same costs for working the fire department, so I wouldn’t say it would necessarily save money, but it might put us in a position that we can have a better fire rating in the future.”

The merging process is underway.

Jackson will host a meeting in Clarkson for residents to ask questions.

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter, call him or Barry Rushing.