The Union Daily Times
JONESVILLE, S.C. — A nearly four-hour fire board meeting resulted in the removal of the Kelly-Kelton fire chief from office.
More than 30 spectators were present at an emergency meeting held by the Kelly-Kelton Fire Board on Tuesday. The primary discussion at the meeting was in regard to the department’s chief, whose credentials were questioned following a house fire last week on Bobby Faucette Road.
Board members heard public comments before going into Executive Session to discuss a personnel issue.
The first person to address the board was Sherry Robison — the owner of the home that was destroyed by a fire last week. Robison — also a former firefighter — questioned the credentials of Ben Hauser, who was the department’s chief, overseeing fire-fighting efforts during the fire that destroyed her home.
“The fire chief is an administrative position,” Hauser responded. “You’ve got fire departments that have chiefs that don’t even go on calls. I’m taking training myself; I have been ever since I’ve been the chief.”
Hauser showed certificates and said he had not yet gotten to take Firefighter I or Firefighter II training.
“These men look up to that white helmet — for you to tell them the right thing to do,” Robison said. “And you were not telling them the right thing to do at my house.”
Robison said Hauser never asked her if anyone was in the house when he arrived. Hauser answered that he did ask Robison’s husband, Michael, but Sherry said her husband was not even at the home when Hauser first arrived.
“I didn’t even see you until you came up to the truck and cussed me out,” Hauser responded.
Hauser said there were only seven firefighters in his department who are certified to fight an interior structure fire, and some of them were not there. He explained that other fire departments such as Jonesville, Bonham and Philippi were represented at the fire.
Some community members who spoke said they believe lots of finger pointing has taken place and that it should stop.
“It’s sad because we depend on everybody in this fire department,” said former Kelly-Kelton firefighter Jamison England. “The thing I think everybody’s forgetting in this community is outside this building it says ‘Volunteer Fire Department.’ So they’re not getting paid anything to show up here. They do this because they want to do it. They go out and put their life on the line to help the community.”
District resident Bill Shilling said he was appalled at a newspaper article he read on Monday, calling it “disgusting.” Shilling said he was disgusted at the way people were verbally abusing Hauser.
“Why can’t we reach out to him (Hauser), support him, uplift him?” Shilling said. “It disheartened me that the people of this community — as close as we should be and as caring as we should be — that we are just kicking the man who is stepping up here to do the job. These guys that have 42 years of experience or 17 years of experience should say, ‘Hey, let me talk to you about some situations I’ve been in that might help you in the future.’”
J.D. McCarley — Deputy Chief of Bonham Fire Department — agreed that finger pointing is dangerous.
“Mr. Hauser was thrown into something, and whether he should have taken it or not is irrelevant at this point,” McCarley said. “The only issue I’ve got is that after that newspaper article and all the things that have been said, y’all have to do what y’all have to do or not do or react, whatever the case may be. The problem is we’re opening the door every time something happens.”
McCarley said he was at the meeting as a taxpayer and a concerned firefighter. He said he knows board members and commissioners have a tough job. He also said when things happen such as last week’s house fire, those involved should look in the mirror.
“Tomorrow, when I go to that fire, if things don’t go right — or if something happens — or if someone gets hurt — are you going to turn around and point the finger at me?” McCarley said. “The situation is that (Hauser) was not loaded with a whole lot of training, and he was up front about that. The problem is way bigger than what we’ve got sitting here now. We’ve been hurting for a long time. We’re all going to have to get busy, put our foot forward and try to get better.”
Following public comments, board members entered into Executive Session, and when they returned to open session, a motion was made to remove Hauser as chief. The vote was 3-2 in favor of Hauser being removed.
Some of the firefighters then walked out of the meeting and resigned, but later returned to the department and apologized after talking with some of the other firefighters.
“We just want to move forward and help this department be the best department it can be for all the taxpayers in the district,” said Kelly-Kelton Fire Commissioner Kindra Horne, who resides in the district. “I think we are on the right track, but it will be a process.”
Horne said neighboring departments have committed to helping the Kelly-Kelton Fire Department. Horne also said she is looking for the Union County Council to appoint someone to the vacant sixth seat on the fire board in May.
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