FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County has kickstarted the design process for a new Fire Department training and logistics complex off Martin Road.
At a March 12 work session, the County Commission unanimously approved a concept site master plan for project.
Fire Chief Barry Head said the new location will replace the department’s current 15,800-square-foot facility on Settingdown Road, which he says has no room for expansion.
“The whole goal of this is to give us a more modern facility to facilitate our training needs now and in the future as the demand on our services become more and more,” Head said.
The site plans call for a 10,000-square-foot logistics facility; a new fleet building; a training support center with classrooms, offices, a clean and dirty wash area, and storage; an open-air pavilion with parking; and a 6-story training tower.
Head said the “bread and butter of the project” is a modern burn building with a roof simulator and flashover chamber used for training exercises.
The plans call for a concrete burn building with a lifespan of some 50 years. Head said the structure the department currently uses has six years remaining in its lifespan.
“Probably by about the time the new project comes to fruition, that one will be aged out,” he said.
County Manager David McKee said the March 12 presentation reflects a new step in the county’s capital projects and improvements process. Moving forward, he said concept plans for major projects will be presented to the Board of Commissioners for approval for public transparency.
“This is not a new project,” McKee said. “This is a project that has been in the works for some time. However, we’re at the point where we’re pulling the trigger on design, moving forward with the first phase.”
The county purchased the 34-acre site off Martin Road for $1.7 million in…
Read the full article here
