County Council recognizes fire, rescue stations

NEWBERRY COUNTY — Newberry County Council recognized Friendly Fire Department Station 1 and Newberry Rescue Station 14 during last week’s council meeting, continuing the tradition started last in 2025 where council takes a moment to recognize emergency services across the county for their continued service.

Friendly Fire Chief Joe Palmer took a moment to thank council for the recognition and said with their current 24 members that they want to continue to provide the best possible service to their fellow neighbors.

During his remarks, Palmer also encouraged council to use the time during special recognitions to ask four basic questions to the organizations that come before them each month: 1.) the number of calls that this entity has responded to for its core function over the past year; 2.) the average number of persons from that department alone; 3.) the time and minutes it took to get a county-owned emergency vehicle on the scene; and 4.) the percentage of persons that exist on each one of those rosters that are licensed or certified to carry out their core functions.

“Asking these questions will take a few moments of your time, but I think you must know the answers to these questions,” Palmer said.

For Friendly Fire, Palmer said in 2025 they answered 298 calls for service with a portion of those being building/structure fires. The average response from their station alone (not the entire county) was 1.89 persons.

“The entire county, when I did the research, the average response from all departments was 2.45. It took Friendly Fire Department, on average, 19 minutes, to get a county-owned vehicle on the scene. So you called 911 and now you have to wait 19 minutes before you get a fire truck on the scene of your house. I bring that to light to ask if that is acceptable to you,” he said.

“I’m very proud to be affiliated with these hardworking people sitting behind me – they’re giving all they can give, but they need help. In the coming months, you’ll see a plan developed by the county fire chiefs, staff, administration and several other jurisdictions. That plan will offer an honest evaluation and hopefully vision and plan for you going forward. We need and very much appreciate your thanks here tonight, but we need help and we need action,” Palmer added.

Brandon Wicker, on behalf of Newberry Rescue Station 14, said they currently have 27 members and highlighted the numerous certifications within their organization. The group covers 298 square miles of Newberry County and 30 miles of interstate. Wicker noted that they also are on hand for Newberry College games as well as high school games within the district as well as assisting with events like the annual Spartan Race that draws hundreds to Newberry.

Other business:

• Council unanimously voted to accept the nominations of Robert Shealy and Karl Sease and Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively for the 2026 calendar year.

• Council passed the third reading for an ordinance authorizing the execution and delivery of a fee agreement by and between Newberry County and Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, providing for a payment of fee in lieu of taxes, providing special source revenue credits and addressing other matters related.

• Council passed the second reading of an ordinance amending the zoning map to rezone one real estate parcel totaling .80 acres from RS-Single Family to R2-Rural.

• Council approved a recommendation to award an engineering and consulting contract to Kimley Horn for the Newberry County – Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Planning and Demonstration Project. The grant was for $240,000 with a county match of $60,000.

• Council unanimously approved the proposed 2026 County Council Committee Meeting Schedule and the proposed Newberry County FY 2026-27 Budget Calendar.

• Following an Executive Session, a motion was made and passed to offer the County Administrator position to William Luckadoo.