KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. — As Kershaw County experiences rapid growth, the demand for fire hydrants is on the rise.
"We've had some growth here in our community, a few houses, it's a pretty sleepy community," said Kershaw County Councilmember Russell Brazell.
Brazell said residents in the Pine Grove community have expressed their desire for more fire hydrants. "Anytime there is population growth, you get more demand on all your services, whether it's Fire, EMS, obviously EMS. We're a growing community, so we're trying to work together to get two new hydrants here on Pine Grove Road," adds Brazell.
And if there's not enough hydrants, some worry what that might mean for a home if a fire breaks out.
I've been here all my life," said Robert Branahan a county resident. "You just don't ever know; it could be yours one day."
Kershaw County Fire Chief Will Glover said in places with fewer hydrants, they use water tankers that can carry 2,000 to 5,000 gallons of water.
"We cover 640 square miles of Kershaw County, and a lot is rural," Glover said. "When we look at Buffalo-Mt. Pisgah, Westville, The Charlotte-Thompson Boykin community, those are definitely ones we identify that we need to look into in the future."
Currently, there's no allocation in the fire budget for new hydrants. However, Brazell said he's exploring alternative funding options to meet this crucial need.
"In the fire budget, he also has other priorities, so we may have to dip into the general fund and create a plan on how to fund this over the next couple of years," Brazell added.
The county has yet to set a date for voting or deciding on which hydrants to approve or funding efforts.