10/03/2022
The Stinking Creek Fire Department has been embroiled in a battle over the past year since being declared ”inactive” by the Kentucky State Fire Commission for a failure to have the required number of members for an organized department.
Many issues have arose and they have been addressed as they can be addressed. Currently the department is still listed as inactive by the Kentucky Fire Commission and the “State of Emergency” issued by Executive Judge Mike Mitchell remains in force and effect.
The Board of Directors for the department remains intact and has been working behind the scenes to try to re-establish a functioning department for the community. I have been trying to assist them in anyway possible to get the department re-established.
The community has been the one to suffer from the department being declared inactive. It has caused many issues with insurance companies etc as far as fire protection is concerned.
East Knox Volunteer Fire Department has done an incredible job at not only protecting their own coverage area but also in protecting the residents of the creek. And for that many are very grateful. But it is time that the residents of Stinking Creek have their department back up and running.
The current board of directors is comprised of former members of the department. Members that have not forgotten the residents of Stinking Creek and have fought a hard battle to try and get the department reopened.
The Kentucky State Fire Commission is currently discussing whether to allow the department to reopen. One thing that has been brought up is that they wouldn’t want to see the same members on the department.
I myself was one of the main reasons many had a problem with the department. I made decisions as the Chief that put the department in debt to ensure that the necessary equipment was available to protect the community. I resigned my position as Chief in an effort to get the department re-established even though the members of the department fought not to allow me to resign.
The Stinking Creek community needs their department and needs to know that they can depend on them in their time of need.
The department is in need of members to serve as firefighters and also as members of the board of directors.
Community members interested in serving as a firefighter or even as a member of the board of directors please feel free to reach out on this page so that the board of directors may present your names to the Kentucky State Fire Commission as they fight to re-establish your department.
