HERNANDO BEACH – Residents who live in Hernando Beach can expect to have better Fire Rescue services, after a Valentine’s Day decision by the Board of County Commissioners removed the old volunteer department and replaced it with Hernando County Fire Rescue.
According to County Officials, the BOCC voted 3-1 yesterday to terminate a contract with the Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department and ordered the immediate take over by HCFR.
Officials say there will be a 60-day transition period to allow the County’s Purchasing Department to complete the acquisition of the property and inventory.
Former HBVFD’s Fire Chief Daniel Chichester will be handing over the keys at 2:00 p.m. today and HCFR will assume responsibility at that time.
New services will include a fully-staffed advanced life support engine that will be available 24-hours a day.
HCFR Chief Scott Hechler said “We are able to reconfigure our existing resources to cover our new HCFR footprint.” Heckler further stated, “There will be no additional cost to the Hernando Beach homeowners until October 1, 2017. At that time, they will pay the same as all other Hernando County residents.”
A press conference is scheduled to be held at the Fire Station located at 3451 Shoal Line Blvd at 3:00 p.m. today.
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Well, they finally figured out that the half a** volunteer department was shot of useless
Now watch your taxes go up. That is the plus side with any volunteer dept.
Worst and most corrupt dept ever! Chief Fred is and his little side kick need to be held accountable for the missing funds and violations. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the unlawful, dangerous practices that took place there. Just think these douche bags work at the brooksville fire dept now.
shame to think yu work for the county and wonder why your dept is in the hole for 7.5 million last yr,they had to get a loan and it will be more this yr,is it misappropriation of funds or poor management,these res can plan on a rate increase to help pay you loud mouth no it alls..
Nobody is ever held accountable in Hernando County if they work for the government….FACT!!!
This is all about the county being broke and having to try to cover losses with politics
Wow people writing and have no idea what they are talking about. Volenteer dept was a joke a bunch of young kids using it as a club house. They were not trained or qualified to do a proper job. They were completely useless. They couldn’t go inside a fire they weren’t qualified lol. They only had first responder training supposedly And there criminal investigations going on for them stealing money Now for the county fire dept they are in debt because of previous county commissioners who voted to lower taxes and never raised them as dept grew They were told and were aware they can’t function on what commissioners set years ago. Maybe the ones who should be mad are the people that live in the area they took the county fire truck away and moved it out there those people who pay there taxes now have lost THERE fire truck they payed for
Way over due, commission is to blame for allowing this to go on as long as they have. We need to know how long commissioners have had the supposed crimes at the VFD and why they hid it.
Sad day when another volunteer fire department closes doors….All I will say.