WAMEGO ? The Wamego Fire Department is looking for help from neighboring fire districts after the resignations of four volunteer firefighters allegedly involved in a drunken-driving incident.

The resignations have left the department short-handed.

The four volunteers reportedly were aboard a city fire truck when it was pulled over after leaving the Wamego Country Club sometime after 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 25. Former fire chief Richard Varnadore was arrested for driving under the influence, authorities said.

Varnadore, Gerald Cole, Gary Houser and Paul Dekat have since resigned from the fire department. Cole is a Wamego city commissioner.

Wamego Fire Chief Phil Stultz expressed concern about how the incident will affect the department’s ability to respond to fires on weekdays.

“We only have about six members who are available during the day through the week, and this involved four of them,” he said.

Stultz said he has been in contact with volunteer departments in St. Marys, Louisville, St. George, Belvue and Blue Township about providing mutual aid.

Varnadore has yet to be charged with driving under the influence. But the case has been turned over to the Pottawatomie County Attorney’s Office to determine if charges will be filed, Wamego Police Chief Ken Seager said.

Seager said he did not foresee any other charges against the other three volunteers, although they allegedly took the truck without authorization.

According to Stultz, the other 15 members of the all-volunteer fire department voted unanimously to terminate the four men involved in the incident.