The annual Kentucky Apple Festival will not fill the streets of Paintsville this year due to concerns of COVID-19 exposure. And while that leaves many people anxious for the 2021 event, some of the local entities that use the festival for fundraising are now at a standstill.

W.R. Castle Fire Chief Brian Jeffiers said his department usually raises thousands of dollars, making up around 10 percent of its budget. He said three other departments also run booths at the festival and the money is crucial in keeping many of them operating smoothly.

Jeffiers said, the ability to serve the public is contingent upon the proper equipment. And without the money from the festival this year, he worries the department will have a hard time replacing its air packs- equipment that provides breathable air to the firefighters.

At least one of those departments, Oil Springs, uses money from the festival to purchase a lot of the equipment it uses.

According to Oil Springs Fire Chief Aaron Cantrell, the funding issue goes deeper than the festival.

He said a change should be implemented to help keep the departments running and the communities safe, suggesting that the county consider creating a less than one percent fire protection tax on all properties in the county. He said it would be a small charge and the funds could improve the departments’ rankings, ultimately saving people money on insurance.

In the meantime, the departments are hoping to find ways to bring in enough money to offset the loss of the canceled event. Officials say the departments are always accepting donations and volunteers.