KNOTTS ISLAND -- A volunteer fire department on the North Carolina coast has suspended response operations because it hasn't signed a contract with the county. 

A news release from Currituck County says the Knotts Island Volunteer Fire Department notified county officials on Wednesday without advance warning that it would suspend all fire response services because its contract wasn't signed. 

The county said it presented a contract for 2017-18 to the department, which it returned unsigned with several requested modifications. The county said it couldn't agree to the requests and instead offered an extension to the existing service agreement to continue fire services through Oct. 31 while the new contract was being discussed. 

During the impasse, the county has entered into an agreement with Virginia Beach, Virginia to provide fire response services.