BRANDON, Fla. — The only two Fla. county volunteer fire stations are set to close on Dec. 31 at midnight.
The Hillsborough County Commission has allocated $5.2 million to add 78 paid staff positions that will in turn replace the 150 remaining volunteers that are working for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, according to the Tampa Tribune.
After an audit of the county fire stations, officials said it was the best move to take to keep providing the same level of service to residents.
The audit revealed that some volunteer staffs were not adequately trained and had issues with “accountability and oversight.” Some stations also lost their nonprofit status by improperly filing IRS paperwork.
The paper reports that the 78 positions will be filled by March 2013, with crews being paid overtime to cover where volunteers once worked.
As the end of the year approaches, volunteers will continue to work at the stations during nights and weekends and will be able to assist paid staff. The volunteer firefighters can apply for paid positions.