FLORENCE — After hearing from the public, the Florence Fire Protection District there's a change and more hope for what happens next for the longtime volunteer fire department.
Frustration is high at the Florence Fire Protection District following the announcement that the Florence Volunteer Fire Department received a cease and desist order, requiring the volunteers to vacate the building by the end of the year.
Community members voiced their upset to the Board of Directors, stressing the importance of the long-standing volunteer group and the impact they have on the community.
For Carol Just, it's personal—her father was a firefighter.
"It's just too important to this community. These firemen mean so much to us. And some fire ladies—there were some in there. But they just mean so much to our community—they're in our fiber," she said.
After expressing their concerns and pleading with the Board of Directors, the parties agreed that the Board and the president of the volunteer group would meet to revise the legal documents.
In the meantime, they have decided to pause the cease and desist order until both groups can come together to find a solution.
Carol says she's relieved they're getting a chance to find common ground.
"Hopeful now that they can actually get together and talk a bit. I think opening the lines of communication is just really important."
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