KNIGHTDALE, N.C. — The Knightdale Volunteer Fire Department will soon stop providing services within town limits, however it will continue to provide services to the areas surrounding the town.

Knightdale currently has a contract with the volunteer fire department, but that contract is up in July.

Wednesday night, the Town Council voted to discontinue using the volunteer fire department, which has served the town for 31 years.

The town decided to provide its own fire services after an audit raised questions about how the volunteer department was spending its funds.

One of the options now being considered is to certify Knightdale police officers as firefighters and emergency technicians.

"We're taking one person and cross-training them in many jobs, and we're able to do that many more jobs with a little bit less manpower," said Chief Skip Blaylock of the Knightdale Police Department.

The Wake County town of

Holly Springs

has already adopted a similar program.