Push to reopen Holland firehouse gains momentum

KENANSVILLE — Twenty residents of what locals refer to as the Outlaw Store area of Duplin County gathered in the fellowship hall of Unity Methodist Church Monday night to discuss the possibility of reopening the volunteer fire department at the corner of West Wards Bridge Road and Holland Road, known as the Holland Station. The Kenansville Fire Department’s substation was forced to close several years ago due to a lack of manpower.

As a result of this closure, homeowner insurance rates in the area have increased, impacted by a fire protection rating of 10 issued by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. To positively affect insurance rates, the state requires an active fire department staffed with at least four volunteers within six road miles of a home.

Ricky Deaver, a 40-year volunteer firefighter and resident in the area, believes the Holland Station is needed.

“It needs to be reopened,” Deaver told Duplin Journal. “But it’s going to take people. Currently, we just don’t have enough. You can have all the money and all the equipment you want to have, but the most important thing you need is dedicated people. I can remember when the fire department had a cap of 45 members and there was a waiting list.”

Deaver blames societal changes for the challenge of getting people involved.

“Whether it’s the fire department, the Rotary Club, or just about anything, volunteerism is a dying breed,” Deaver said.

Area resident Rachel Holland said she recalled days when finding people willing to help at the local fire department began at a young age.

“I remember way back when there was [nothing] for kids to do in this area. When they got to be 16, they hung out at the fire department. They wanted to. They’ld become junior firemen and then they’d become regular firemen at 18. They would stay on for years.”

Duplin County Fire Marshal Matthew Barwick opened the meeting on an encouraging note.

“I hope we can have an open discussion to make sure everyone knows what the expectations are from the public’s side, from the fire department’s side and from the county’s side to see if we can get together and make this dream come true,” Barwick said.

Kenansville Fire Chief Robert Whitman emphasized that the key to making that dream a reality centers on one thing – people.

“The biggest thing we need is personnel,” Whitman said. “The state says we have to have a certain amount of people to staff that station. If we don’t have enough to staff it, it will cost the taxpayers’ money, but you won’t get anything out of it. We’re going to have to have the support of the community.”

“All of us would like to see it [Holland Station] come back,” Barwick added.

According to Whitman, the main Kenansville station must have 15 active members to meet state requirements. A substation like Holland Station would require five active members.

Whitman said that while volunteer firefighters don’t get paid, they hope to encourage more people to volunteer by emphasizing the many benefits of serving their local fire department. One of those is a life insurance policy.

“We get money from the state to help pay for the policies,” Whitman said.

The policy pays a death benefit of $250,000 to the family of a volunteer firefighter who dies within 24 hours of responding to a fire call, in addition to other benefits paid under the policy.

Active volunteers who remain a member of the department for at least 20 years also receive a special retirement pension of approximately $170 per month.

Whitman stressed the most important benefit of being a member of a local fire department is the camaraderie.

“Once you get in there, you’ll find out it’s a brotherhood,” Whitman said. “We look after one another. If one’s sick, we’re all sick.”

Everyone in the community is hoping to attract more interest from young people like Hunter Whitman. Hunter is already training to become a firefighter and will officially join the Kenansville Fire Department when he turns 18 in September. His inspiration is his family. His uncle is Chief Whitman.

“I grew up around the fire station,” Hunter told Duplin Journal. “My dad, my grandparents and my uncle all have had a part in the fire department. It’s something I wanted to do.”

A follow-up meeting has been scheduled for Sept. 29 at the Kenansville Fire Department in hopes of attracting those who may be interested in becoming members.