The Sylva Herald
CASHIERS, N.C. — For the most part, the county’s seven fire departments use the local grapevine when screening new volunteers. But some firefighting leaders don’t want to get burnt relying on a rumor mill — they want official safeguards.
Fire Chief Randy Dillard is among them. He oversees Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department: 52 members; 135 square miles of territory; and, during warm weather, up to 20,000 residents to protect. “Asking around” isn’t good enough, Dillard said. This isn’t 1967, the year the fire department was founded. “Those days are gone. This is a business, and it’s got to be handled like a business,” he said.
Starting this month, all Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department members, including current ones, will undergo criminal background checks and random drug tests. It’s only partly to help Dillard sleep better at night. The timing is connected to a larger department overhaul. Cashiers-Glenville is paying $8,000 to update its bylaws and have a company review policies and procedures. The contract includes background checks. After this year, the company gets $2,000 annually to keep everything up to date, including vetting applicants.
Full story: A county first: Cashiers firefighters, new and old, will undergo criminal background checks