Oglethorpe County's fire departments have secured nearly $400,000 in funding to renew aging equipment. Officials said the upgrades are a game-changer, allowing county departments to tackle pressing needs and enhance efficiency.
“With the purchase of these air packs and fire trucks, it helps move the entire fire service of Oglethorpe County forward,” Salem Volunteer Fire Department Chief Justin Sanders said. “And these purchases help satisfy some needs that would cover us for the next 15 years.”
Upgrades include $237,400 for 34 self-contained breathing apparatuses for multiple departments, including Salem, Beaverdam, Pleasant Hill and Vesta.
Other items include:
- $100,00 for a primary engine at Glade.
- $14,783 for turn-out gear for Wesley Chapel.
- $44,000 to match funds for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant for a new truck for Arnoldsville.
Funding primarily comes from SPLOST, with an emphasis on winning grants to stretch the available funds.
“They're trying to be very good stewards of the taxpayer money and all, and just taking their time and make sure they get this right,” Sanders said.
Fire trucks generally have a life cycle of around 20-25 years, but budget constraints often result in volunteer fire departments operating with older vehicles.
With the new acquisitions, including the replacement of the current vehicle dating to 1978, Heath Baker, chief of the Arnoldsville department, emphasized the significance of the upgrades.
“Those new trucks around here are a very scarce thing because they do cost so much,” he said. “Being able to get one is a big deal."
With innovative features like built-in nozzles and joystick controls, the new fire truck enables firefighters to combat fires more efficiently and safely while remaining inside the vehicle.
"It's going to be a game-changer for us in a lot of aspects, as far as that kind of stuff,” Baker said. “To be able to do that without having to get out of the truck, it's going to be amazing for a county like Oglethorpe County, that's mainly volunteers."
Sanders said he’s reassured by the first wave of funding, which he said demonstrated a commitment from the Emergency Services Commission and Board of Commissioners.
“I'm extremely encouraged by the first wave,” Sanders said. “It really went to fill in some much-needed gaps.”
Future funding will focus on maintaining compliance and addressing immediate needs identified in the strategic plan, a call to action aimed at unifying emergency services across Oglethorpe County.
“There's a life cycle, and if we can replace stuff more gradually, more frequently, as soon as it hits that end of life, we'll have a plan in place to replace it,” Sanders said.