Lake Celebrates Feb. 1 EMS Launch

Happy faces from both town and county representatives surrounded tables at the Lake Waccamaw Fire and Rescue Department on Tuesday, Jan. 31. The town held an old fashion hamburger and hotdog cookout to bring folks together to celebrate the start of their EMS Department beginning tomorrow, Feb. 1. The town received their state certification on Jan. 26.

Guests included County Manager Eddie Madden, Fire Marshal Shannon Blackmon, Mayor Matt Wilson, Chief Jerry Gore, Commissioner Frank Carroll, and other area staff and county officials.

"I'm very proud of everyone involved in making this come together. I couldn't have worked with a better group of people, and I'm excited to be able to bring emergency care back to the town, " said Town Manager Damon Kempski.

Jerry Gore was named Interim Chief in early December after Brandy Nance submitted her resignation, and he has been working diligently to get the program off the ground.

Gore retired in 2021 after 15 years with Lake Waccamaw Fire. He was named chief in 2013, when the department was in disarray after the departure of a numbest of members, the split with Lake Waccamaw Rescue Auxiliary, and a voluntary shut down by the town.

The chief rebuilt the LWFD and led the station as it rebuilt its ranks and brought the fire rating from a 9 -- nearly the lowest ranking of the state fire marshal's office -- to a 4. Public Works Director Robert Bailey, an assistant chief with the station, also submitted his resignation.

The resignations came weeks before the town was set to start its own EMS service through the fire department Jan. 1, but the launch of the program was only delayed for one month.