MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Meriden officials said Thursday that the city will no longer have a volunteer fire department after 117 years.

Mayor Kevin Scarpati said that the shut down is due to low volunteer numbers and budget concerns. The Meriden Fire Department, staffed with full-time employees, will take over all services.

Mayor Kevin Scarpati said that career firefighters have operated out of Station 6 since 2019 and that services and response times will not change. He noted volunteerism numbers are down throughout the country.

In South Meriden, home to Station 6, the volunteer numbers have fallen 63% since 2017.

Mayor Scarpati said the city decided to not allocate $70,000 to the volunteer firefighters in the city's budget for needed equipment, further adding to the reasons for the sh

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