LAWRENCE CO. – Emergency Management officials have been actively monitoring snow activity while simultaneously working on merging the Oolitic and Marshall Volunteer Fire Departments. The merger, which took effect on January 1, aims to improve both communities’ response times and service efficiency.
As part of the integration, Oolitic will maintain its designation as Station 8, while Marshall will retain its designation as Station 6. There will be no changes to equipment or their locations. This strategic move allows for faster response times to incidents, such as wrecks and medical emergencies, as the two departments can now dispatch resources simultaneously. Previously, response times could be delayed by at least two minutes while waiting for additional support from one of the departments.
Under the new arrangement, if a call comes in from the Marshall area and they have sufficient personnel to handle it, Oolitic will remain available for other emergencies. Conversely, if a call is in Oolitic and they are adequately staffed, Marshall will be available for additional calls.
“The increasing run volume and the availability of volunteers drove the decision to merge. Emergency Management emphasizes that the goal remains to serve the communities to the best of their abilities, ensuring that both departments can effectively respond to emergencies without compromising service quality,” said Valerie Luchauer, Emergency Management Director.
No name changes have occurred due to the merger, allowing each department to retain its identity while enhancing collaboration for community safety.
