Mysterious signs say Midway Fire Station is closed

UPDATE 7:35 a.m. July 27: City to hold special called meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, July 29, to address Midway Volunteer Fire Department issues, followed by 6 p.m. work session; adds text exchange between Clancy, Campbell stating GFSTC’s Toms to attend

Sometime Wednesday, signs appeared on the doors of the Midway Volunteer Fire Department’s station house. They read, “Important Notice: Building Closed for Inspection/Repairs. We apologize for the inconvenience. The building is undergoing repairs.”

Deputy Chief Jonathan Campbell, who is serving as acting chief, said he had not been notified of the closure and that calls to Mayor Pro Tempore Clemontine Washington’s phone went directly to voicemail Wednesday night. Washington was appointed the city council’s liaison with the fire department in 2023.

The signs appeared on the 34-year-old, city-owned building after an investigation by The Current showed the extent of decay at the station house, as well as long-delayed repairs to crucial equipment the firefighters need to save lives in fires and vehicle wrecks.

On Thursday morning, City Clerk Lynette Cook-Osborne said she had relayed e-mailed questions to Clancy and Washington.

Within the hour, The Current watched a man in a Midway Public Works truck pull up and remove one sign from the fire engine bay door, but not the one on the office door.

The man said he did not know who had posted the signs and that he had been told to take down only the sign on the bay door.

Campbell said removing the other sign might be considered “destruction of property,” adding, “I’m still going to run calls until told otherwise. If I’m told we can’t, I’ll have to contact the state.”

If the city’s sole fire station is closed, who has been responsible for fire service within the city limits since Wednesday?

Clancy did not respond to an e-mail posing that question Thursday. 

The Current asked Liberty County Fire Chief Brian Darby, who said the county would cover urgent calls for the city even if the council does not have a current agreement in place with the Board of Commissioners.

Darby said city and county officials hash out those agreements, but pledged to the citizens of Midway that, “should it be a fire, fire alarm, vehicle accident, CPR in progress, or if Liberty County EMS gets on scene and says they need help, Liberty County Fire will come.” However, Darby added, the county would not respond to other call types.

Whose trucks are those?

Darby also said that neither the City of Midway nor the Midway VFD owns the two fire trucks the city uses: “Both of those trucks are owned by Liberty County Board of Commissioners.”

According to Darby, the county agreed years ago to lend the city those fire trucks. He said he didn’t know whether the City of Midway carries a supplemental insurance policy on them, “but I do know, because they are owned by county and registered to Liberty County Board of Commissioners, we do carry insurance on them.” 

Neither elected official has responded substantively to The Current’s e-mails seeking answers about broken hydraulic lifts, generators, even a steering wheel on one of the fire engines, as well as protective firefighting suits that are damaged or too small.

On July 17, Clancy responded to a list of questions by promising to answer them “in the near future.” 

Campbell said he has not had access to copies of basic administrative documents like the department’s budget, purchase orders to get what the department needs, or previous MOUs and other agreements affecting the fire department. He says he’s repeatedly asked Clancy and Washington for help fixing these issues.

Campbell also questioned why Washington was the point of contact for hiring new firefighters because, he said, she had no knowledge of Georgia firefighter minimum qualifications. He alleges Washington hired a firefighter he had previously turned down elsewhere and who had not completed all state-mandated basic training. After meeting with him and Washington, the firefighter resigned. Washington has not responded to requests for comment. 

On Friday, the city issued a notice of a special called meeting at 5 p.m. on Monday, July 29 to address issues at the Midway Volunteer Fire Department, to be followed by the monthly work session at 6 p.m. Although the work session does not specifically list the fire department on its agenda, it does list a section for “Announcements.” Campbell forwarded a text message from Clancy stating that GFSTC’s Toms would be present; we’ve asked Toms for confirmation.

In the exchange, Campbell said Washington had told him to contact Clancy about the signs and asked, “What does that mean about training nights and running calls?”

Clancy: “You can run calls but no one can stay in the building until they decide if it’s black mold or what for health reason but no one have been running calls noway because we had calls in the city and county had to run a call I have a special called meeting Monday at 5 pm. If you’d like to attend. MPT IS OUT OF TOWN DID SHE ANSWER YOUR CALL.”

Campbell: “We run calls when we can sir, after all, we are volunteers with full time jobs. Would [love] to be there Monday but I won’t be off of work until 6. Sorry. We do our best. Have a good evening. P.S. I’ve run 2 calls this past week, thanks.”

Clancy: “You can still run calls that’s not a problem. Come after you get off we’ll still be there. I need to know when yall run calls because county says different.”

Campbell: “It’s all written down on the calendar on the desk at the station. The lightening strike they had last week, I had just gotten off of calls and was in hinesville, tried to call them on the radio several times but got no answer. By the time I git back to the city they were clearing up. I can be in Midway by 7. Still be there at the city hall?”

Clancy: “Yes, I will also be having a work session and we’ll fill you in because Mr. Randy Toms will be there.”

Campbell: “Okay, thanks.”

Whose problem is it?

Despite the signs, no single local, county, state, or federal agency has enforcement powers over a volunteer firehouse’s working and safety conditions:

• Liberty County’s Building and Licensing Department doesn’t inspect for things like damaged ceiling tiles or insulation; the city would have to hire a contractor or inspector who in turn might request an inspection. 
• A Liberty County environmental health employee said her supervisor, Yvette Steele, was in the field Thursday morning. Georgia DPH says its Environmental Health Division only regulates black mold in hotels, motels, and tourist accommodations. It’s not clear whether the mold visible on a water-damaged ceiling tile next to the fire station kitchen would count.
• The Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council enforces licensing of individual firefighters. State rules hold both full-time and volunteer fire departments to minimum requirements, and they require volunteer firefighters to document their service. But Executive Director Randy Toms said it doesn’t get involved with “local matters” like the back-and-forth between Campbell, Clancy, and Washington.
• The Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s office inspects amusement rides, elevators, hazardous materials, and manufactured housing — not fire stations.
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency doesn’t even have Midway VFD on its radar. A check of Midway fire departments in the National Fire Department Registry returned only the defunct Eastern District Fire Rescue. Fire departments submit information to the registry.

Most of Midway’s volunteer firefighters are local residents who are experienced full-time firefighters or EMTs with other nearby agencies. 

Liberty County fire funding 

It’s not clear what Midway VFD’s budget is. The Current filed an Open Records Request with the city for council reports about the fire department since 2017, and had asked to see current and recent city budgets.

In response, the city said the request was “partially granted,” but did not cite any reason as required by Georgia’s Open Records Act, adding that it had no firm date for handing over or allowing a reporter to view those public records.

Campbell said he did not have copies of the department’s budget and that he has never seen one. 

The Current did obtain Liberty County Fire Department’s detailed budgets from fiscal years 2017 through 2025. Those budgets show the county has paid all local fire departments less than $100,000 per year for the coverage they provide the county. In the case of the Midway Volunteer Fire Department, Liberty County has paid Midway a total of $24,137.78 from fiscal year 2016-17 through fiscal year 2018-19 — and nothing since then. 

Darby added that he does not want the county to take over Midway’s department “if the city and the fire department have the capability” to operate the station.

“I wish them the best,” he said. “I know that I remember what it’s like being a volunteer. I know the heart and the dedication that’s coming from those individuals. I don’t want to sit here and fault the (Midway) fire department. I’m not going to fault the city (of Midway). I’m hoping that they can come to an agreement.”

Possible solutions

State rules allow fire departments to operate as either private companies or non-profit corporations that contract with governing bodies to provide fire services.

As a volunteer department, Midway VFD could organize as a non-profit corporation, but that would require other staff members to manage the paperwork, apply for grants, and coordinate fundraising. And the city and county would still have to provide some sort of funding to ensure it meets state minimum requirements.

Privatizing the fire department could require the city to pay whatever rates that corporation might decide to charge for providing fire protection services. Such a company would need to have enough capital to invest in an all-new station, new equipment and gear, insurance, and competitive salaries with 5% separation between ranks. Private fire departments also must answer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Another possibility would be for the county to take over fire services for the City of Midway. But that would require more county tax dollars to demolish and rebuild the Midway station at a time when many residents are angry about Liberty County’s high taxes and say that city and county leaders do not listen to their concerns.