Ky. Volunteer Dept. Is Now in State Compliance

Jan. 18--CORBIN --

After not being in compliance with state fire regulations since the first of the year, the East Knox Volunteer Fire Department in Flat Lick is compliant again.

East Knox Chief Bobby Valentine said on Tuesday the total number of firefighters now on the force is at 20, which is up from 13 members around New Year's Eve.

To be in compliance with the fire commission in Frankfort, a volunteer fire department must have at least 12 firefighters and a fire chief on their roster. In addition, 50 percent of the force needs to be certified.

"Over half the department is certified now. I've got 12 new members, and some of them are certified. Some don't have any training, but after they take a 20-hour training course and some hands-on training, they will be getting some experience," Valentine noted.

He said he got the news about the department being in compliance again after making a phone call to Frankfort earlier this month.

"I called the state fire commissioner on January 3rd, and told them it might take us 30 days to be compliant. But I also told them I thought we could be compliant in two weeks. I had thought we had until January 15th to be compliant, but we had more than we needed."

Valentine added it takes 150 hours for volunteer firefighters to be certified. As for the new members, the West Knox chief said they'll be on a six-month probation period. When that period ends, the members of the department will vote to see if they're ready to take on the job and become new firefighters.

The department was not in compliance with state fire regulators on New Year's Eve, after five members walked out and resigned their positions during an organizational meeting. A former East Knox VFD member told the Times-Tribune earlier this month the actions were brought about from the result of a business meeting on Dec. 26, saying "the former administration said some of those elected officials were not voted into the department. The former administration decided to have a re-vote."

After that occurred, five firefighters walked out and resigned, including the captain and three certified men. Valentine noted the business meeting on the new officers election was what he called, "an oversight," and that everything had to be turned in by the end of the year for regulations.

In addition to serving much of eastern Knox County, the East Knox VFD has mutual aid agreements with two other departments in their area.

Copyright 2012 - The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.