Report from Pender County. On June 19, 2025, the county board of commissioners, in a 3-2 vote, approved a plan to bring EMS and fire protection services by four (or three) private agencies under country operation. Shown is the timeline in the proposed merger plan, from this document (PDF).
The proposed plan will create a county Emergency Services Department that will assume all fire protection services provided by Pender EMS & Fire, Penderlea Fire, Maple Hill Fire, and [not?] Rocky Point Fire[1]. Plus the services of Union Rescue Squad. And with Burgaw FD, Surf City FD, and Atkinson FD (municipal departments) continuing to provide service in their county districts.
[1] From news reports, it looks like Rocky Point Fire will be excluded from the plan as presented in the document.
Total personnel pre-transition are 213 full-time and 38 part-time personnel. With 19 buildings and dozens of vehicles: 38 admin and QRV, 43 fire apparatus, 14 EMS apparatus, 37 other (boats, etc.).[2]
[2] The above numbers need to be adjusted with the subtraction of Rocky Point FD from the proposed plan.
Capital and one-time expenditures will include fleet rebranding and facility signage, as well as a $9 million fleet garage (already identified as a need). The final merger agreement outlining legal, administrative, and operational components will be completed by Dec. 31, 2025.
Read the county press release.
Google for news coverage, including in-depth coverage by Port City Daily, such as this story.