A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 28 for the new Fire Station 9 to be located in the Lake Lanier area of Forsyth County at 8420 McBride Lane.

“The new Fire Station 9 will continue our legacy of dedication to serving the county,” said Forsyth County Fire Chief Barry Head. “This new station will allow us to proudly continue to serve the residents of east Forsyth County.”

The new station’s design is based on a standard template for the county fire stations that has been improved over the years with Fire Station 11 being the primary model. Construction of the new Station 9 is funded by the voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) VI and VIII programs as well as Impact Fees. The construction cost of the project is estimated to be $6.7 million.

Fire Station 9 will be a 12,500-square-foot, four-bay station, accommodating the personnel and equipment that will operate out of the facility and to allow for future growth. The station is expected to open in the spring of 2024.

“We are thankful to the taxpayers who approved the SPLOST programs that led to us being able to fund this new station,” said Fire Chief Head. “We thank the Board of Commissioners as well for their consistent support of the Fire Department.”

The general contractor for the station is Kevin Price Construction. The architect for the project is Croft and Associates.

The Fire Department will also break ground in 2022 on a new Fire Station 15 replacement.

Big Bear Fire Chief Jeff Willis is pleased to announce that Big Bear Fire Department has acquired a new ambulance. The department received delivery of MA-281, a 2022 Dodge 3500 4×4, on October 20, 2022.

Powered by a Cummins Diesel engine and manufactured by Braun Northwest, the new ambulance has the same configuration as others in the department’s fleet, which allows for standardization and a smooth transition in on-scene operations. The new ambulance is currently being stocked with medical supplies and equipment, and will go into service immediately.

The acquisition of the new ambulance was made possible as part of a larger financing package with favorable interest rates. The financing package enabled the Department to purchase this ambulance and other apparatus consisting of a new fire engine and fire truck, which are yet to be delivered. The new apparatus is part of a three-year fleet replacement plan of outdated units, and allows for the procurement of reliable and modern emergency vehicles that are within budget restrictions with payments over time through financing.

Once in service, the new ambulance will be housed at Station 281 in Big Bear Lake.

The first look at Charlotte’s first electric fire station was released this week, WSOCTV.com reported.

The Charlotte Fire Department tweeted a rendering of the Station 30 project. It will be located at 3019 Beam Road, across the street from the Police and Fire Training Academy.

From Grandma’s house to the Firehouse!!! Construction will start on the new fire station 30 in the very near future!!! A big thanks goes out to City Council , Manager Marcus Jones and last but not least the citizens of Charlotte for their investment in the Charlotte Fire Dept. pic.twitter.com/Nla7HfH5AH

— Charlotte Fire Dept. (@charlottefire) October 20, 2022

A look at the rendering for the new Charlotte Fire Station 30. This will be the city’s first all electric fire station. #CLTCC is planning to purchase an electric fire truck. Station 30 will be located at 3019 Beam Road, across the street from the Police and Fire Training Academy pic.twitter.com/6Q2nqEDK0R

— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) October 22, 2022

Matoaca in Chesterfield County (VA) is getting a new fire station, WTVR.com reported. Chesterfield County officials broke ground Thursday at the site of the new Matoaca Fire Station No. 8 at 6612 Hickory Road.

The new station, which is scheduled to open in early 2024, will replace the community’s 60-year-old fire station, the report said.

The older station on Pickett Avenue was built in 1962 and is too small to house modern firefighting and EMS equipment and vehicles, the report said.