Police

Judge-Executive Darrell Link admits that the emergency services tax proposed by the Grant County Fire Chiefs’ Association would provide much-needed funding for fire and ambulance services.

But, he doesn’t think voters would approve paying for a new tax during tough economic times.

Williamstown Fire Chief Les Whalen is normally the only one at the station when it is time to respond to a call.

The department has 25 to 35 volunteers, but Whalen may only be able to utilize one to two when a fire needs to be put out.

And, those volunteers may be busy working or they may have just got off from a 24-hour shift at another fire department.

That is why staffing is the greatest concern Whalen has for his fire department.

Jonesville Fire Department may have the smallest coverage area of any of Grant County’s fire departments, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need more funding to operate.

“We’re paying our bills,” said Fire Chief Chase Duvall. “Our progress has developed over different funding streams.”

Jonesville Fire Department has 18 members. The town lies on the Grant/Owen county line and receives funding from the fiscal court of both counties.

Daylight streams inside the Corinth Fire House from a large crack in the building’s exterior wall. Another crack shows a blue sky outside where the roof meets a wall at the rear of the structure.

Inside where the trucks are housed, two of the Corinth Fire Department’s emergency vehicles are sitting less than a quarter of an inch apart because there’s not room inside if they aren’t nearly touching.

The small department’s home was once used as an ice cream parlor, a dance hall, slaughterhouse and a garage.