When the alarm sounded, the horse drawn equipment was pulled to the site of the fire (whoever showed up first with a team was given $5 to haul it), the bucket brigade drew water from three strategically located cisterns, plus Spring Valley Creek.  It was first housed in the basement of the Andersen Opera House on Section Avenue south of the creek; this is before the old lumberyard was demolished.  The fire wagon was greatly augmented when they purchased a 10-man hand powered pumper in 1885 with hoses that “greatly improved efficiency."  Captains were in charge of Cart 1 and 2, which carried the length of hoses.  The fire wagon itself sported a long ladder with hooks on the ends of poles.  

The truck being replaced is 21 years old.

Fire Underwriters Survey, which insures the fire department’s vehicles, stipulates the maximum age of a fire truck may not exceed 25 years. At over 20 years of age, the truck must have additional inspections and testing performed annually to ensure it can perform as intended and remain certified for use.

The city’s equipment replacement plan recommends a 20-year lifespan for fire apparatus.

The Georgia State Patrol is examining both wrecks to see if it was a terrible coincidence or if roadway improvements might be needed.

Social Circle Fire Department Chief Ken Zaydel showed FOX 5 News the spot on Hawkins Academy Road where last Friday afternoon a Social Circle Fire Department truck crashed when responding to a structure fire about a quarter mile away.

A week earlier a Walton County Fire Department truck crashed at nearly the same spot, about 40 feet away.“It’s rare, it’s almost unheard of,” said Chief Zaydel.

Large flames and chemicals caused several small explosions, making it difficult to fight the fire at an old warehouse located along Pinn Road near Highway 151.  

Fire crews spent time and resources trying to connect to a fire hydrant that was too far away, down a long, private road. “Water that is coming out of a hydrant, will go into an engine, boost that pressure to keep it going on, we can do that for as long as we need to go down the road,” said Joe Arrington, public information officer with the San Antonio Fire Dept.