Officials: Faster response times needed after house fire in Town of Richmond

WALWORTH COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A damaging house fire has officials in Walworth County asking what needs to be done for faster response times. 

The fire destroyed a home in the town of Richmond Tuesday night. A neighbor called in the fire but minutes went by before the closest fire department, in Whitewater, could reach the area. 

"The time to recognize the incident, the time for someone to call the incident, the time to get dispatch to the people who will respond to the station, get dressed, staff apparatus, and then actually get to the incident, it takes time," said Capt. Ryan Dion with the Whitewater Fire Department. 

Firefighters also had to rely on dozens of other departments to bring water to the scene. 

Township leaders have talked with the county before about building a fire station run by the county but the town chairman says that would be difficult to do.