Taylors, Boiling Springs Fire Departments Reach Mutual Aid Agreement

Parts of Greenville County have an additional level of fire protection resulting from a new agreement between the Boiling Springs and Taylors Fire Districts.

The “Automatic Aid Response Agreement” that was executed this past Tuesday ensures that when one department receives a structure fire call, the other department will automatically send a three member engine company to assist.

“This is something that just makes sense,” said Boiling Springs Chief Steve Graham. “We share a similar geography and have an adjoining border with Taylors, so each district providing assistance to the other allows both districts to provide greater fire protection to the residents and businesses we serve.”

“Not only is this an example of how local governments can cooperate to pool resources and deliver services, this agreement will help save lives and property, and that is always our top priority” added BSFD Commission Chairman J. R. Christy.

The agreement, which extends to 2017, allows the two fire districts to establish mutual aid “response zones” under a section of state law that says state, county, and municipal governments shall cooperate in developing and maintaining a plan for mutual assistance in emergencies.

“Mutual aid agreements currently exist,” Christy said. "But instead of calling and asking for support, the new arrangement we have with Taylors takes mutual aid to the next level by eliminating that middle step and automatically dispatching assistance.”

Officers and personnel from Boiling Springs and Taylors rotated shifts from Monday through Wednesday at Brushy Creek Baptist Church in Taylors familiarizing themselves with each other and each district’s tools.

“We’re going to be working as a team, and with lives at stake, it’s imperative that our people know each other, trust each other, and know the intricacies of each department’s equipment,” Graham added.