SHENANDOAH COUNTY, Va. 鈥� The Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on April 7 to gather feedback on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, with EMS funding becoming the main subject.
Fort Valley residents raised concerns about extended EMS response times in their rural, volunteer-run community. Several shared emotional stories of losing loved ones while waiting for help, and called on county leaders to invest more in full-time EMS staffing, reported.
Residents contend that the proposed increase falls short of meeting the needs of remote communities. While the budget includes a 10.79% boost in public safety funding compared to last year, only an additional $30,000 is earmarked for volunteer fire and rescue services, an amount many feel is insufficient given the challenges these areas face.
The Fort Valley Fire Department currently operates under a home response system, where volunteers respond to emergency calls from their homes as they come in. Lieutenant Chris Pangle of the Toms Brook Volunteer Fire Department emphasized the broader need for increased funding, noting that volunteer departments across the county are in need of additional financial support.
鈥淭he volunteer fire department as a whole has not had a huge increase over the last few years,鈥� Pangle said. 鈥淲e definitely have to have an increase in our budget to keep going.鈥�
The next step is a tentative work session, with the budget set for adoption on April 15.
