Sugar Grove, West Virginia Naval Base FD

[CCFR-45]

Let's not forget the economic impact on the surrounding area as well. When Vint Hill farms Station finally closed in 1999or 2000 I believe, Fauquier County lost a very relied upon Medic Unit (Medic 20) and an Off Post fire unit (Wagon 20). At the time they were running ALS response units and maybe had 1 or 2 actual career medic units to cover the whole county. AND since the Base straddled to Fauquier/Prince William Line; Prince William lost the automatic aid use of Wagon 40 to calls in the Gainsville/Haymarket/Evergreen/Nokesville areas. I worked there as a Temp and left well before the disbandment of the station. I visited the night before the actual closure and it was kind of depressing, had a lot of brothers there that stayed until the final day. They all moved on to other departments mostly. I hope the Brothers at Sugar Grove have the same luck with getting other jobs. The booming growth growth around vint hill helped the area recover rather quickly, I don't know anything about Franklin,WV but hope they don't suffer to much because of the loss of jobs.

 

Franklin is very small, the base closing is going to have a big impact on the local economy. I was talking to some of the guys, and the DOD is moving most of the guys to somewhere in Washington DC.