Hunt County Commissioners voted 3-2 on March 6, 2023, to terminate their contract with the Quinlan Volunteer Fire Department due to financial concerns and preceding controversies. The decision comes after significant criticism of the department’s performance, particularly following a tragic incident in which three individuals lost their lives in a house fire in March 2025.
Reasons Behind the Decision
Commissioner Garry Smith, who initiated the motion to cancel the contract, emphasized that the decision was strictly a business one aimed at benefiting the citizens of South Hunt County. He stated that the county would redirect calls previously handled by Quinlan to other nearby departments. “This is not a conversation around performance. This is not a conversation around personalities,” Smith remarked in a text to WFAA.
Following the termination of funding, Quinlan Fire Department representatives indicated they would shut down operations. The county’s funding is set to expire in March, leaving the department without the financial support necessary to continue its services. Smith mentioned the potential for the county to establish a tax district to support more professional fire services in the area, moving away from a reliance on volunteer firefighters.
Controversies and Community Reactions
The Quinlan department faced intense scrutiny after the aforementioned deadly fire, where responders were criticized for not attempting to save victims inside the burning structure. Tawokoni South Fire Chief David Rutherford, who was one of the first on the scene, expressed his belief that at least two lives could have been spared had they intervened sooner. He stated, “I was willing to go in myself,” but was instructed by Quinlan officials that the situation was too perilous.
Despite the backlash, Quinlan officials maintain that investigations concluded they acted appropriately during the incident. In a separate incident, two Quinlan firefighters were hospitalized in the fall of 2022 after a fire truck accident, revealing that the driver lacked the necessary license to operate the vehicle.
The department was previously put on probation in 2021 after it was reported that it responded to fewer than two-thirds of emergency calls. The city of Quinlan subsequently severed its contract with the department, opting for a different service provider within city limits.
During the recent commissioners’ meeting, public opinion was divided. James Arnold, a resident, spoke in favor of the department, citing multiple instances where they had assisted his family, including a kitchen fire the night before the vote. “We’re proud of our volunteer fire department and we need to keep them,” Arnold asserted.
Conversely, Julie Bedwell, who suffered the tragic loss of her son, ex-husband, and friend in the March fire, supported the decision to terminate the contract. After the vote, she expressed relief, stating, “I got the justice I wanted. Now I know no other family is going to have to suffer like I have had to suffer.”
The decision to cut ties with the Quinlan Volunteer Fire Department highlights the complex dynamics of managing community safety and financial accountability. As the county navigates its future fire service needs, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact local residents.
