HARTSELLE, Ala. -- Hartselle is contemplating a policy that would limit where firefighters can live.
The change would not affect existing employees, but Mayor Dwight Tankersley wants to require all new firefighters to reside within at least 10 miles of the city limits.
No other fire department in the area has such a policy.
For years, Athens enforced an unwritten rule that said firefighters had to live within 25 miles of the city limits.
"We don't do this anymore," Battalion Chief David Andrews said.
Tankersley said Human Resource Administrator Melee Laney brought the matter to his attention after Hartselle reviewed applicants for the last firefighter vacancy.
"We had applicants from cities just outside of Birmingham," Tankersley said.
The mayor said it's important for firefighters to live within a "reasonable distance" of the city limits in case there is an "all-out call" to fight a big structure fire.
"We would need them there as soon as possible," he said.
City Clerk Rita Lee said four of Hartselle's 19 paid firefighters live outside the 10-mile zone. Another eight do not have Hartselle addresses.
Fire Chief Steve Shelton supports the proposal, but Councilman Mark Mizell has concerns.
He said a policy as such would create "bad morale" within the fire department. Mizell questioned what would happen if an existing employee wanted to move outside the 10-mile radius.
City Attorney Larry Madison said the council needs to spell out specific guidelines in the policy. He said it would be legally defensible because "when there is an urgent call, firefighters are immediately needed."
"What about police officers?" Mizell asked.
"Requiring police wouldn't be defensible," he said.
Tankersley said there have been many times since he became mayor in 2004 that there have been "all-out" fire calls and only one time for the police department.
The police incident happened when officers identified a threat at Hartselle High School about three years ago.
Tankersley authorized Chief Ron Puckett to call every available officer, but "he didn't have to."
Madison advised and the council agreed to discuss the policy in a work session before making a final decision.
Copyright 2012 - The Decatur Daily, Ala.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
