Fultondale Fire Dept. transitioning to full time Share Updated: 10:29 PM CST Feb 13, 2021 Share Updated: 10:29 PM CST Feb 13, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript AT A BETTER TIME. >> Reporter: THE FULTONDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS OPERATED AS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT SINCE 1948, BUT FIRE CHIEF SAYS IN RECENT YEARS, IT WAS GETTING TO BE TOO MUCH. >> OUR VOLUNTEERS GET BURNED OUT. >> REPORTER: WHEN THE MAYOR TOOK OFFICE IN THE FALL, HE VOWED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. HE HAS BEEN A FIREFIGHTER SINCE 1985 AND HE KNOWS WHAT A DIFFERENCE A FULL-TIME STAFF CAN MAKE. >> I MADE A PROMISE WHEN I BECAME MAYOR THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD DO. >> REPORTER: THE FULTONDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD THEIR FIRST FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. >> THAT DAY, WE ALL WENT TO LUNCH OUT IN THE CITY THAT DAY AND TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT IT IS. OUR BIGGEST WORRY WAS GETTING THE PAPERWORK DONE FOR THE FULL-TIME STAFFING. >> REPORTER: IT WAS THAT NIGHT AN EF3 TORNADO TORE THROUGH THE CITY, KILLING ONE AND HURTING DOZENS OF OTHERS. THIS DEVASTATION IS NOTHING NEW FOR FULTONDALE. THEY WORKED WITH ALL VOLUNTEERS WHEN THE CITY WAS HIT BY A TORNADO IN 2011. MOVING FORWARD THIS TIME, THE RECOVERY WILL BE EASIER. MAYOR HOLCOMB SAYS THEY ARE NOT FINISHED WITH THE VOLUNTEERS YET. >> WE ARE NOT KICKING THE VOLUNTEERS OUT. THEY ARE GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF WHAT GOES ON IN THE CITY. IT GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK. >> REPORTER: A LITTLE BREAK OF SERVING THE PEOPLE