The Augusta County fire department continues to investigate how Byron Fritz, a convicted felon, was allowed to become a volunteer firefighter. Fritz used to keep his gear at the Dooms Fire Department, but his locker is now empty after Fritz quit the job.

Chief Mike Fisher says, despite doing a background check, he was unaware that Fritz had a criminal record.

Fisher explains, "A lot of those charges against Mr. Fritz were old charges. I mean in 2006 when he submitted his application, the last time that was charged was over eight years ago, and any probation or anything like that would be well over by then."

Since Fisher can only view any previous convictions within five years, he did not know that Fritz was convicted of impersonating a police officer in Virginia Beach. Fisher also says he only noticed misdemeanors on Fritz's record.

He comments, "He slipped through the cracks. That's all that happened, he slipped through the cracks."

While the Staunton Fire Department also conducts rigorous background checks, Chief Mike Myers says he can see how someone could fall through the cracks.

He says many fire departments across the country are desperate for volunteers.

Myers says, "A lot of times, some of the volunteer agencies may be forced to take people that they normally wouldn't take just to get their numbers up and someone will do what they appear to be a good job and work with the agency."