By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Hazel, Ky.—The Hazel Fire Department has suspended its service this week as the department is in the process of being annexed into the Calloway County Fire and Rescue tax district.
Hazel Fire Chief Richard Bennett posted the “Last Call” for the department with a photo of the fire department’s helmets on its Facebook page this week and asked everyone to take a moment to pray for Hazel and the department.
Calloway County Fire & Rescue Chief Thomas Morgan told WENK/WTPR this morning that his department has always provided mutual aid for Hazel, but that the Hazel department has found itself in the same situation as many other small fire departments across the nation—a lack of volunteers.
Morgan said the attorneys for both the Hazel and Calloway Co. departments are working out the legal documents to finalize the annexation “and hopefully it will be done by the end of May.”
Once official, the Hazel department would be absorbed into the Calloway Co. department, he said. “The Hazel Fire Station will still be used and their equipment will still be used and their firefighters will still be used. Their department will just be absorbed with ours.”
Morgan said, “We’re hoping everything moves as smoothly as it can.”
Officials with the Hazel Fire Department were not available for comment.
Hazel Fire Department photo.
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