Investing in Public Safety:

Strengthening Lawrence County Fire & Rescue
A situation that put both first responders and the public at risk has been addressed thanks to action by Lawrence County Government.
On August 1, Lawrence County Fire & Rescue (LCFR) Director Tyler McDow announced that the nonprofit agency can now pay three trained first responders to work weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., hours when call volume is high and volunteer availability is low.
These paid staff are scheduled from a pool of approximately 30 men and women with training that exceeds state requirements in firefighting, emergency medical care, and vehicle extrication.
LCFR serves as the umbrella organization for Lawrence County’s 13 Volunteer Fire Departments (VFDs) and Box 50, a specialized unit that supports first responders at emergency scenes. Stations are located in Ethridge, Henryville, Center Point, New Prospect, West End, Summertown, Leoma, West Point, Iron City, Gandy, Southeast Lawrence, and Crossroads (Fall River). The Lawrence County Fire & Rescue station, where the new paid personnel are based, is located at the Jason Dickey Memorial Fire Training Center on Crescent Factory Road in Lawrenceburg.
Our VFDs respond to fires, vehicle crashes, medical emergencies, and specialized rescues, including swift water, grain bin, and vehicle extrications. Automatic aid agreements with agencies like the Lawrenceburg Fire Department help compensate for lower volunteer numbers, but busy days still stretch response numbers dangerously thin.
Call volume continues to increase with Lawrence County’s population. LCFR responded to more than 2,400 calls last year. A snapshot from their Facebook page on July 12 illustrates how busy and widespread their work has become:
“Lawrence County Fire & Rescue units are currently operating on a motor vehicle rollover crash with reports of serious injuries in the Crossroads Fire District. Simultaneously, units are responding to establish a medical helicopter landing zone in the Leoma Fire District, and a high-priority medical call in the Gandy District.
“At the time of this post, LCFR has also responded to:
– Motor vehicle injury crash – Ethridge District
– Residential fire alarm activation – New Prospect District
– Another vehicle injury crash – Southeast District.”
When I ran for office, first responders told me they needed better communication with the County Commission. One of my first steps as County Executive was to establish the Emergency Services Committee, where emergency agencies can speak directly with Commissioners about their needs and long-term goals.
Lack of funding was a huge issue for LCFR, including $250,000 still owed on the Fire Training Center. Limited resources also compounded the volunteer shortage. People who give their time to train and work as volunteer firemen want to be first responders, not fundraisers. Too much effort was going into fish dinners and other donation drives.
The Commission listened. Thanks to conservative budgeting and surplus revenues at the end of the past two fiscal years, we were able to provide additional support. In 2023-24, LCFR received $1,213,436 from Lawrence County, including funds to retire the training center debt. In 2024-25, we allocated a total of $1,085,216. We have more than doubled the county’s annual contribution to LCFR, and I thank the Commission for joining me in making that happen.
Lawrence County has a proud history of volunteer service in emergency response. What began as the Lawrence County Rescue Squad in 1960 was restructured in 1994 to form Lawrence County Fire & Rescue - a move that improved the agency’s eligibility for state and federal grants. Today, most of LCFR’s equipment has been secured through grant funding.
With continued cooperation between county government and first responders, we are building a stronger, safer future for Lawrence County - one where all residents can count on professional, well-trained help when they need it most.