BRUNSWICK COUNTY — Fire departments across Brunswick County are facing rising call volumes, aging equipment, and volunteer shortages, prompting commissioners to continue discussions on a potential fire tax overhaul while eyeing a multi-million dollar subsidy.
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At their Dec. 1 meeting, the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners received an update from County Manager Steve Stone on strategies to support fire services as calls for assistance, especially medical emergencies and rescues, continue to climb amid rapid growth. As such, Stone and county staff suggested a short-term $10- to $12 million subsidy in 2027 for county fire departments while staff continues to work toward a long-term funding mechanism. No vote was taken at the meeting, but the board of commissioners will officially consider the subsidy in January.
Speaking during public comment, Southport Fire Chief and President of the Brunswick Fire Chiefs Association Charles Drew explained his concerns to the board.
Drew first pointed to volunteers, who make up the majority of firefighters in the county, and are increasingly difficult to recruit and retain. He noted this is not just a local issue — statewide, roughly 72% of fire-service personnel are volunteers, and nearly 90% of North Carolina fire departments are entirely or mostly volunteer.
“Some of our departments are particularly short in staffing sufficient to meet the fire service needs of their districts,” Drew stated. “Some of them have limited personal equipment for firefighters, and some are beginning to have very old primary equipment.”
Secondly, increased call volumes are putting heavy strain on departments already short on personnel. He previously told commissioners over the summer calls to Brunswick County fire departments have doubled since the Covid-19 pandemic, driven largely by medical emergencies, alarms, rescues, and for situations like falls.
With fewer volunteers available departments often struggle to assemble full crews when multiple calls come in at once. He explained several departments often respond to the same call because no single department can reliably cover every emergency due to the staffing constraints.
He also highlighted the impact of inflation on the cost of essential equipment, noting a fire engine which cost roughly $417,000 four years ago now runs about $980,000.
Earlier this year, county staff and the Brunswick County Fire Chiefs Association met with municipal leaders to review alternatives to the existing fire-fee system. In September, Drew and the association recommended a district-based fire tax to replace the fee. The board will consider installing a fire tax in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.
A fire tax is an ad valorem tax, meaning it is based on the assessed value of a property rather than a flat fee tied to home size or acreage. Unlike the fire fee, which charges the same rate per square foot or acre, regardless of property value, a fire tax automatically adjusts as the county grows. With more properties being built and existing property values rising, the taxable base increases year to year, generating revenue to scale with demand.
The town of Oak Island has already moved ahead, approving a town-level fire tax for its 2025–2026 budget. Town leadership said the fire fee had reached its legal maximum and could no longer generate sufficient revenue to meet demands. The change was described as roughly revenue-neutral, while individual households may see small increases or decreases depending on their property value.
In attendance at the meeting, Ocean Isle Beach Town Manager Justin Whiteside told commissioners municipalities want to be included in future fire tax meetings, stressing the importance of collaboration.
“We just want to have a seat at the table in these discussions,” Whiteside said.
Commissioner Frank Williams acknowledged the challenge of developing a fire-service model every department and municipality can accept, even if not everyone is fully satisfied. He said the county must address immediate needs while ensuring tax dollars are managed responsibly in the long run.
“Short term, it’s the funding issue,” Williams stated. “In the long run, there’s a systemic issue. When it starts becoming tax dollars, we have to make sure there’s accountability for how those dollars are used. For example, if tax dollars pay for a piece of equipment, that equipment needs to stay in Brunswick County.”
Agreeing with Williams, Chair Mike Forte said the board is struggling to design a long-term fire funding system to withstand unpredictable inflation. He noted despite months of analysis, most proposed funding models carry unintended consequences. Thus he was hesitant to lock in a tax structure too quickly.
“We’re going to lay out 10 to 12 million dollars of county taxpayer money to push this off for a year because there’s so many moving parts,” Forte stated. “You know, you often say to yourself: When does it stop? This inflation is bizarre. How do we prepare for that? We can’t put a tax system in and then a year later because of inflation, we’ve got to jump that tax up. We need something that’s gonna sustain us for a while.”
Commissioner Pat Sykes raised concerns about the growing number of non-fire calls, such as medical assists and falls, which require fire crews to respond and tie up limited resources that could otherwise be used for major emergencies.
She suggested exploring contracting a separate agency to respond to those needs, noting an independent service could handle routine medical calls without involving fire departments or EMS. Similar third-service models exist elsewhere in the U.S., with standalone rescue teams responding to minor emergencies, allowing fire departments to focus on fires and rescues.
A consortium of seven towns in western New York approved a multi-year contract with a third-service provider for EMS services last year, with the contract worth $275,000 in 2026. The actual cost of a similar service contract for Brunswick County depends on call volume, staffing needs, and coverage area.
Commissioner Randy Thompson said he has talked to people at varied fire departments, many who had a lot of lingering questions.
“The biggest issue is demand, services have gone up because of the increase in our density, and so we need to address that,” Thompson said. “From my discussion with a number of departments, I think that they want to know, what are the expectations of the department, what do you want us to have, what are the service delivery features that you want to see? And I think if we properly spell that out, then we can put a price tag on that, and then we can move forward as far as the municipalities go.”
He suggested creating a formula accounting for both rural areas and municipal coverage to allocate funding fairly. By defining what services each department is expected to provide — including staffing levels, equipment, and response coverage — the county could better estimate costs and distribute resources based on service area, call volume, and population density. Thompson emphasized such a system would provide transparency and predictability for both municipalities and fire departments, helping ensure communities receive adequate protection without overburdening smaller districts with high taxes.
Ultimately, County Manager Stone said staff will continue refining the proposed subsidy contract and present future funding recommendations at the board’s Jan. 20, 2026 meeting. At that time, commissioners will consider the distribution of the one-time subsidy and strategies for longer-term funding.
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