JENNY LIND (KFSM) -- The small rural fire department in the Jenny Lind Community of Sebastian County was dissolved last week after its effectiveness was called into question.
"Whenever the continued vote of the lack of confidence of fire departments backing up Jenny Lind continued to occur an ordinance was presented to the quorum court," said Sebastian County Judge David Hudson.
The Jenny Lind Fire Department was shut down and its district was reassigned to surrounding fire departments, county leaders said.
Hudson said he entered the Jenny Lind Fire Department on Wednesday (March 29) to assess the department's equipment, but it was gone.
The equipment ended up in Crawford County at the Cedarville Fire Department.
Sebastian County leaders said they thought the Jenny Lind volunteer firefighters took it upon themselves to give the leftover equipment away.
"Whoever these individuals were did not have the authority to take the action that they took," Hudson said.
On Thursday (March 30), the Emergency Management Department and Sheriff's Office went to Cedarville to load up the Jenny Lind equipment and return it to Sebastian County.
Cedarville firefighters said losing the equipment from Jenny Lind is unfortunate, because they really need equipment. They also said they didn't realize they weren't supposed to get the equipment.
After the equipment was returned, Judge Hudson discussed how the equipment will be redistributed to surrounding departments that will take over the Jenny Lind area. He said giving the equipment to departments will help homeowners in the area by lowering their home owner insurance premiums.
Authorities have not said whether they will file criminal charges against the people who gave away the equipment.
"There was probably some anger on the part of some, maybe a little revenge maybe a little retaliation," Hudson said. "That does not represent the typical volunteer firefighters we have in Sebastian County."