Hornbrook, Calif. — Hornbrook volunteer firefighters are saying enough is enough. Thursday morning they turned in their gear and officially called it quits. Now, the only member left on the team is also a board member.
Assistant Fire Chief Lee Buckley said this decision comes after months of disagreements with the board of directors.
“We officially quit due to the fact that the board would not address our safety concerns,” Buckley said.
President of Hornbrook Volunteer Fire Department Kimberly Olson said the boardcalled to havefirefighting gear turned in Thursday so they could take inventory.
“Because of the issues we had withrequests for gear we had to know what condition the gear was in, what gear we had, and what needs to bepurchased,” Olson said.
But Buckley said it’s too late. He said the firefighters have been asking for updated gear for months.
“It’s miserable,” he said. “Now the community is suffering without the department.”
Olson said they have to have the money to provide new gear for the firefighters.
“We want to have them protected when they go out there,” Olson said.
And until they can do that, she said the department will have to be put on standby. She also said the board is investigating personnel issues.
“I can notdiscuss it,” Olson said.
Buckley said there’s only one thing that would motivate him to go back to the department.
“A new board. That’s what it would take,” he said.
Even though the volunteers quit they will still continue to train. Buckley said if there is an emergency in Hornbrook Cal Fire would be the first to respond.
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