SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Just a week ago, Ray Rainey watched flames take over his home.
"Get a big truck here with a hose on the Jeep on fire and pull it out of the garage, didn't happen that way," said Rainey. "They did the best they could but it was too late."
Although Rainey has a Hendersonville fire station close by, 45 minutes passed before anyone showed up.
What Ray didn't know was firefighters at the Shackle Island Volunteer Fire Department refused a mutual aid agreement with the Hendersonville Fire Department early last year.
"I did not know nothing about it until my house caught on fire," said Rainey.
Those kinds of agreements aren't required between fire departments but many have them.
Ray didn't realize not having one left him and his wife unprotected.
"One mile from my house. They can be here in a minute, five minutes at the most so that's important to me," said Rainey. "I am glad that they got the agreement worked out. Too bad my house had to burn before that got worked out."
Hendersonville Mayor Jamie Clary said the agreement will help protect others like Ray.
"It really spells out when we are going to show up, what kind of situations we are going to show up in and how we operate once we get out there," said Clary.
Hendersonville also renewed a mutual aid agreement with the No. 1 Volunteer Fire Department in Gallatin. The mutual aid agreements will last one year.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Kim.Rafferty@newschannel5.com.
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