The Miller County Volunteer Fire Department worked to build bridges during a 90-minute meeting Wednesday in the courthouse in Texarkana, Ark.
"We're all are trying to improve working relations between the Quorum Court committee, the county judge, the fire department chiefs. We're trying to improve the fire departments and working relations for the Miller County citizens," said Rodney Watkins, chairman.
A handbook exists for the county's fire department and another handbook has been prepared by the rural volunteer fire association.
The handbooks will be compared and edited.
One handbook was prepared by the firefighters and the second handbook was prepared by previous administrations.
The meeting Wednesday reviewed the differences between the two.
When the changes are approved, they will be incorporated into a new handbook and distributed to the firefighters.
The discussions included better inventories of equipment to improve the records, said Lonnie Hazel, Doddridge chief.
"When the smoke clears, we should all be able to work together," said Bill Oliver, South Division Chief of the Miller County Fire Department.
George Goynes, Miller County Fire Association chairman, also stressed the need for communications between the departments and Miller County Judge Cathy Hardin Harrison.
"We need to all work together," Goynes said.
The meeting was attended by nine fire chiefs and the Quorum Court Volunteer Firefighters Committee.
The Miller County Volunteer Fire Department consists of nine stations: Boggy Creek, Genoa, Mandeville, Bright Star, Trinity, Satellite, Pleasant Hill, Doddridge and Booker Bridge.
The committee consists of Rodney Watkins, chairman; Carl Standridge, vice chairman; Andy LaGrone, Janet Green and Jimmy Hickey.
The department shall be under the direction and supervision of Hardin Harrison.