SOUTHINGTON TWP., Ohio (WKBN) — The Southington Township Fire Department relies on its 11 volunteers to respond to emergencies, but that could soon change if voters decide to approve a 7-mill levy for the fire department this November.

“Unfortunately, we’re seeing a declining number of volunteers with increasing number of calls we serve every year,” said Southington Township Fire Chief Scott Bower.

Should the levy pass, the department would be able to staff the station around the clock 365 days a year with two part-time personnel per shift — a first for the department’s almost 75-year history.

The levy would cost about $245 per year for owners with an assessed home value of $100,000. It would generate about $546,000 for the department each year, $351,000 of which would be put toward staffing.

“And also give us the ability to maintain the station, replace vehicles with our aging fleet and be able to do our yearly maintenance, items we have to pay for every year,” Bower said.

If the levy passes, a combined 2.9 mills in previous fire and EMS levies would be dissolved.
It would also help with faster response times since volunteers currently have to travel to the station from their homes before heading out on a call.

“Having staffing, it would allow us to cut down 3-5 minutes of response time to be able to get to there quicker,” Bower said. “Fire doubles in size every minute, and having the ambulance staff here to provide quicker medical care to our residents also.”