COURTLAND
The Southampton County Board of Supervisors last week granted a capital funding request from the Boykins Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad seeking $63,000 to pay off a debt on their 2013 Pierce Fire Engine Rescue Pumper and assist with the purchase of a 2016 Ford Rescue Medic.

“Capital funding in specified amounts have been set aside annually for each fire department and rescue squad since Fiscal Year 2000,” county administrator Mike Johnson said. “These funds are held in escrow until a request to draw them down is approved by the board of supervisors. Escrowed funds continue to accrue for each department if they are not drawn down on an annual basis.”

The supervisors were holding $63,000 — the equivalent of three fiscal years — in escrow for the department.

“[We] greatly appreciate Southampton County’s continued support of our organization’s community efforts,” Boykins Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad Treasurer Serena White said. “

We take extreme pride in our organization and strive to provide the best fire and emergency medical services to our area. The county’s support is greatly appreciated and needed, especially with steadily rising maintenance, repair and operational costs. These factors have put more of a financial burden on our department, requiring us to make even more expenditure cutbacks in other areas to account for this increase.”

The board of supervisors have appropriated more than $2.05 million for fire and rescue improvements since 2000.