County Officials, Firefighters Visit Fire Training Center in Metro Area

The Franklin County Firefighters Association along with County staff have taken another step toward building a new training center in the Sandy Cross community.

At the Board of Commissioners meeting last week, County Manager Derek Turner said he and Association president Joe Greene had an opportunity to visit a similar center in the metro Atlanta area recently.

“The one down there is pretty well identical to what we would get with a few modifications. I want to thank the volunteer firefighters that were able to travel with us and for inviting us as well. Commissioner (Kyle) Foster went also and it gave us an opportunity to see it and really see what it can do for the County,” Turner told the Board.

Last November, Franklin County Commissioners approved a plan by the Franklin County Fire Association to build a new training center, which will complement the one in Lavona.

The new training center will be located in Carnesville on Hubbard Road, at the site of the previous training facility.

At that meeting, Greene told the Board said the new training center will help firefighters learn how to better handle commercial and industrial fires.

“It will enhance our ability to know more about industrial fires and the ability to train them. This will be a state-of-the-art facility. There will be many types of training there,” he said.

Another advantage to the new training facility, Greene noted, is its ability to attract new volunteer firefighters.

“It will help us recruit new firefighters. Young people. We need some young people. We have one of the largest fire stations in the county but our average age is 50 years old. We need some young people. This will help us recruit young people. If we can get some sort of training at the high school from the vocational department, it’s right across the street,” he said.

Greene said each fire department in Franklin County has committed to using the new training center at least once a quarter.

Additionally, Greene said the new center will help lower the County’s ISO rating.

The total cost of the new firefighter training center, Greene said is $458,000. Turner said the new facility will be paid for out of SPLOST funds and the county would pay for the concrete slab and footings.

Greene said construction on the new fire training center should take 8-12 months.