Former Lawrenceburg fire chief cites safety, conflict amid resignation

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) — Controversy continues to swirl in Lawrenceburg after the city’s fire chief resigned last week along with several other firefighters.

The former chief is now speaking out, revealing why he felt forced to walk away. John Durr has dedicated more than thirty years of his life to fighting fires and saving lives. To him, the job is personal.

As a young man, he watched his brother fight the fire that burned down his family’s home, which inspired him to do the same for others.

“To be able to save that photo album or that chest or something that was handed down to the family for years, that’s what’s meaningful to them,” said Durr.

He has spent much of his firefighting career in Lawrenceburg, becoming fire chief last October and overseeing a crew of 17 volunteers.

“But even with our numbers that we had, we had some people that were on medical-like duty,” he said. “They had, you know, personal issues or whatever, and they’re not considered interior firefighters.”

He said staffing with volunteers can make some shifts harder to fill.

“In the middle of the day, when everybody’s at work, you’re going to get less numbers, you know, and in the middle of the night when everybody’s asleep, then how many numbers are you going to get?” Durr asked.

Which is why he said he fought for a mutual aid agreement with the county’s fire department. He said it would have provided rescue services for city firemen who may become trapped while fighting major fires.

“That team wasn’t to go on the roof and cut holes,” said Durr. “That team was only there to save my guys.”

But Durr said each time he requested to partner with the county department, city leaders turned him down.

“For me to have to fight to try to get us more help and to have to explain that and beg for that—I felt like it was wrong.”

He said he believed the safety of his crew was being compromised, which is ultimately why he decided to resign.

“At the end of the day, the responsibility is going to fall back on the chief. And when it comes to command decisions, when it comes to dispatch decisions, and when it comes to monetary decisions,” Durr added.

At least ten others have also resigned, citing similar reasons. In one resignation letter, a former firefighter stated, “I have always believed in the core values of integrity, accountability, and public service that this role demands, and I feel those principles are no longer upheld within the department.”

“This makes for a toxic environment and undermines the reason we wanted to be a fireman to begin with,” one stated.

“With the current status of the department, I feel it is no longer safe for me to continue,” another one wrote.

But Mayor Troy Young released a statement on Friday, saying two of the volunteers have withdrawn their resignations. He said eight new firefighters have been hired, and the department is well-positioned to provide quality service.

Young’s full statement reads:

“I met with Chief Durr on Tuesday morning, May 6, and at that time he submitted his prepared letter of resignation and one additional resignation letter from a firefighter. On Thursday, May 8, at 11:34 A.M. Chief Durr delivered a folder with 10 additional letters of resignation from firefighters. As of today, May 9, two of the firefighters have withdrawn their resignations. At no time were the residents of the City of Lawrenceburg without fire protection. In a strong show of community and professional support, an abundance of qualified firefighters has joined the department. Among the new personnel are eight certified firefighters, including five certified training officers, ensuring the department remains not only fully staffed but also well-positioned to provide continued high-quality service and internal training. We are looking forward to them joining the roster with our current dedicated firefighters. The City of Lawrenceburg Fire Department was originally founded in 1904 and remains committed to its mission of providing effective emergency response and public safety. The department looks forward to continuing to serve the community with professionalism, skill, and integrity.”
Mayor Troy Young