Homeowners in far reaching areas of Saluda and Coopers Gap Townships may be able to breathe a little easier knowing that Polk County now has contracts in place with fire departments in Dana, Blue Ridge and Edneyville for primary coverage in far-reaching areas of the county. 

The Polk County Board of Commissioners met June 20 and approved contracts with each fire department as well as created new insurance fire protection districts and maps for those areas.

The issue arose earlier this year when a structure fire in Spicer’s Cove occurred and the family lost their home. The homeowners paid fire tax to Sunny View Fire and Rescue, which is 22 miles away. The closest fire department is Edneyville, which is only four miles away. Edneyville did respond to the fire, but there was not a contract in place nor does Edneyville receive tax dollars from that area.

Polk County Commissioner Shane Bradley said earlier this year that although Henderson County fire departments have agreed to respond to those areas through a mutual aid agreement, there was always the reality that “they didn’t have to respond.”

Polk County Emergency Management Director and Fire Marshal Bobby Arledge began working with the departments in Dana, Edneyville and Blue Ridge to work up maps, insurance districts and contracts.

The Polk County Board of Commissioners and the fire departments had to sign the contracts.

The fire in Spicer’s Cove occurred on Feb. 20 and the homeowners did not have fire insurance because the costs were too high, mainly because the fire department was so far from the home. Spicer’s Cove is an area of Polk County that is only accessible from Henderson County.

In exchange for the coverage, the Henderson County fire departments will receive the tax money previously paid to the Polk County fire departments for those areas. Blue Ridge Fire and Rescue will receive $3,856 for its coverage annually, Dana Fire and Rescue will receive $3,742 annually for its coverage and Edneyville Fire and Rescue will receive $2,171 for its coverage, according to the contracts.

Polk County Commissioner Chair Michael Gage thanked Arledge for all his hard work, saying he knows Arledge had to coordinate with a lot of people and he spent a lot of hours working on this project.