Lavonia Fire Department Growing, Making Significant Improvements, Says Fire Chief

Lavonia Fire Chief Scott O’Barr says the Lavonia Fire Department is making great strides and improving every day.

In his annual report to Lavonia City Council and Mayor Ralph Owens Monday evening, O’Barr said 2015 was a very successful year.

“During 2015, Lavonia’s Fire Department had a very successful year; no injuries to any firefighter and no damage to any equipment,” O’Barr said. “This is due to the dedicated and well-trained firefighters Lavonia has.”

O’Barr said this year, Lavonia’s fire department answered 85 emergency calls, with a four- minute response time from the time the pager goes off to making it to the station and an eight-minute response time from the time the pager goes off to the emergency scene.

O’Barr noted over the past year, the Lavonia Fire Department was able to purchase new equipment and build a new fire training center, which he said is almost complete.

“During 2015, Lavonia started and has 90% completed the new firefighter training station. Receiving the containers in April, with 90% of the work done by the members of the fire department, this project has become a reality,” O’Barr said.

O’Barr the new firefighter training center will also be open for training to other area fire departmments.

Money to build the new training center off Highway 17 near the fire station is coming from the current SPLOST.

This year, the fire department also received a large grant from FEMA in the amount of $229-thousand dollars to purchase new, upgraded air compressor equipment.

And he said they plan to apply for another similar grant next year.

“In November of this year, we applied for another AFG grant for 2016,” O’Barr said. “We provided information in the grant to show a need for the replacement of our current ladder truck. We hope to receive this grant, but if we don’t this is something we will have to revisit in the future to find funding.”

O’Barr explained the current truck is over 21 years old, and has limited reach and other aging issues.

Finally, O’Barr named firefighter Chad Marsengill as the 2015 Firefighter of the Year.

O’Barr said Massengill routinely goes above and beyond the call of duty.

“We would like thank Chad and his family for spending his time for the City and the fire department,” he said.

O’Barr also recognized Randall Gailey for his 40 years of service to the fire department.

He also displayed a new lifetime member board where the names of retired volunteer firefighter’s names will be placed.