Lafayette Township Fire to take over Greenville's emergency service operations

FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. (WDRB) -- The Lafayette Township Fire Department is taking over Greenville's Volunteer Fire Department starting Jan. 1.

Lafayette Township Fire Chief Jeremy Klein said combining forces will boost manpower and improve response times.

"There were times that they may not have anybody to respond and the first apparatus on scene in Greenville might have been us," Klein said. "So by now having people at that station to respond in that area is obviously a win-win situation."

Klein said Greenville will now have a mix of paid firefighters as well as volunteers. He said they have hired nine new members, bringing the total to 47 firefighters between the two stations, which he says will provide a solid crew for both locations, as well as other added benefits.

"Being efficient and effective, having the same training, same level of standards," he said.

Nick Fulkerson was a volunteer firefighter in Greenville, but recently got a paid job at Lafayette Township.

"Being able to bring professionalism and quality of service from Lafayette to Greenville, as a homeowner in Greenville myself, it eases the mind a lot," Fulkerson said.

Floyd County Commissioners are still considering bringing several other smaller fire departments together under one roof. A subcommittee has been created to further discuss a larger merger.