LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — After several resignations from firefighters and weeks of turmoil, the Lawrenceburg Fire Department has named a new fire chief - William Curtsinger, a 40-year veteran of the department.
Many community members, like Hailey Bruce, who grew up in Anderson County, have been surprised by the appointment.
"And I was like, 'Whoa, that's kind of insane,'" Bruce said.
Curtsinger's predecessor, former Chief John Durr, resigned on May 14th. In his resignation letter, Durr cited key decisions being made without his knowledge as one reason for his departure.
Bruce expressed concerns about the turmoil within the department.
"You know, there's so much drama, and it worries me, of course, because you want the fire department to be functioning at full capacity," she said.
However, Curtsinger, who has spent nearly 40 years with the department, says his focus is on putting out fires, not politics.
"You have to continue doing what's right and obviously protecting the citizens and you're not gonna please everyone. I mean I know that," Curtsinger said.
The new fire chief's goal is to increase the department's strength to 30 firefighters. Currently, the department has 17 fully certified personnel.
"I would say this is the most qualified that we've ever had on this department," Curtsinger stated. "So in that aspect, we're doing great."
Still, Bruce says the department needs to regain the public's trust.
"You should be able to call the fire department and trust that they will get there and they will help you. And if that indeed is impacted by all the drama which isn't important anyway, then that's a huge, huge blow to the community, in my opinion, because trust is number one."
Bruce says she's keeping an open mind, but the Lawrenceburg community will be watching closely to see if the fire department can move past the recent turmoil and provide the reliable service they expect.
