FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. (WDRB) — The Floyd County Fire Territory is getting bigger — and county leaders say the change will improve fire protection and response across the county by putting more firefighters on the streets.
Floyd County Commissioner Jason Sharp, who has experience in the fire service, said the move brings an end to the patchwork system of separate fire districts that once covered the county.
"We're seeing a larger number of firefighters on the streets, meeting the national standards and best practices," Sharp said.
In the past, some parts of Floyd County had little or no nearby fire protection. In 2021, Franklin Township resident Stephen Byrd told WDRB he worried that a house fire in his area could become devastating before help arrived.
"That's probably the general rule for Franklin Township," Byrd said at the time. "If you've got a house fire, make sure your family members meet at one location underneath the elm tree or at the end of the drive or whatever, because it's going to take a while."
Over the past five years, the Floyd County Fire Territory has expanded by combining several departments. The Georgetown Township Fire Protection District and New Albany Township Fire Protection District joined the Highlander Fire Protection District, creating a single department that now serves nearly all of Floyd County, excluding the city of New Albany.
Sharp said the consolidation brings multiple taxing units together under a single operational plan.
"Essentially, what you have is three taxing units that have come together and agreed on an operational plan on what the level of service for the county is going to be," Sharp said.
The expansion does come with a cost. The larger department is expected to cost about $12 million a year to operate.
Residents in Greenville Township and Lafayette Township, along with the town of Greenville, will see property taxes increase by nearly 4% for one year to help fund the expansion. After that, officials expect the tax rate to drop. Indiana law also limits how much property owners can be taxed.
Sharp said the long-term goal is to reduce the rate even further as the system stabilizes.
One major question residents may have is whether response times will improve. Sharp said the unified department should help firefighters get to emergencies faster because crews will no longer be limited by former district boundaries.
"Each one of these departments had their own jurisdictional boundaries," he said. "Now it’s all come together."
The changes are already visible across the county, with new signs and lettering appearing on fire trucks reflecting the unified Floyd County Fire Territory.
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