MARJON ROSTAMI
The Virginian-Pilot

SUFFOLK - After a five-day hiatus, Suffolk's volunteer firefighters are back at work.

An apparent mix-up with their workers' compensation insurance forced volunteer fire departments to cease operations for liability reasons.

In a news release, city spokeswoman Debbie George wrote, "Previous issues which caused the cancellation had been corrected and the city was in full compliance."

The employee who was in charge of the workers' compensation policy covering the volunteers is no longer with the city, George wrote.

The volunteer rescue squads work for a private entity , independently from the city. About 150 volunteer firefighters serve the city and 230 firefighters are employed by the city, George said in an e-mail.

Chief Chuck Brothers of the Whaleyville Volunteer Fire Department said the volunteer groups decided to follow under the umbrella of the city and direct all questions to George.

Volunteer firefighters and EMTs go through the same training and state testing as career personnel, said Chief George Willman IV of the Nansemond-Suffolk Volunteer Rescue Squad.

The Nansemond-Suffolk volunteers pay for their own workers' compensation coverage and remained open this week.

Marjon Rostami, (757) 222-5563, marjon.rostami@ pilotonline.com

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June 11, 2010