DELMAR, Del.– Volunteer fire companies in Wicomico County are not yet responding to Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton's “Nuclear Option." On Wednesday, Ireton announced that if the city of Salisbury and Wicomico County have not reached a new fire service agreement come July 1, he will stop sending emergency units outside of the city limits.
Delmar Volunteer Fire Chief Andrew Rementer will not comment on the mayor's decision. However, he did say the move would mean fewer fire companies responding to certain emergencies.
“It would be a little harder to get the three company response due to one of the players out of the game," Rementer said.
Rementer said the mutual aid agreements between the Salisbury Fire Department and other departments in Wicomico County would cover most severe emergencies. However, some firefighters tell WBOC mutual aid cannot always be requested until the first responders arrive and assess the situation.
For now, Ireton's nuclear option is a financial issue. While his department's job is to respond to emergencies, Rementer said it is not its job to respond to politics.
