New Market Volunteer Fire Department Considers Subscription Service

The New Market Volunteer Fire Department has begun the search for alternative funding due to recent cuts from the city’s budget. According to Fire Chief Sammy Solomon, the department has turned their attention to the possibility of initiating subscription fire service, meaning that there will be a charge to individual home and business owners for fire service. Should an individual or business decide to opt out of subscription service and have a fire emergency, there would be a higher charge associated with responding to the call.

A committee has been formed to investigate the parameters of initiating a subscription fire service. The service would be for residents and businesses inside the city limits of New Market. Should the New Market Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Team decide to become a subscription service provider, it is unclear how that would impact service in the area of their new sub station that serves the Strawberry Plains area and what, if any, impact it would have on mutual service calls, as well as funding received from Jefferson County.