Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Troup County Fire Chief Michael Strickland revealed Tuesday the county fire department’s plans to reopen Station 2 on Aerotron Parkway following an extended closure.

Strickland said it would alleviate area residents’ concerns of not having adequate fire and medical personnel in the area.

“I’ve been watching the calls that drop in that area, and there’s been a volume,” Strickland said.

Though the station originally belonged to Troup County Fire Department, the LaGrange Fire Department eventually gained ownership of it. However, the station closed in July 2021 due to staffing issues.

“[LFD] decided it’s going to use its existing staffing in other areas in the city,” Strickland clarified.

With this decision, TCFD will retake the station and open it as a county station to serve the rural area with adequate fire and medical protection, Strickland said.

The station is close to the Callaway Airport, however, the airport is in the city’s jurisdiction, and thus, its responsibility, Strickland noted. However, TCFD would still respond and assist to calls in that area as needed. Strickland said the airport’s presence was originally the reason Station 2 was built in the area.

Currently, the station is undergoing interior renovations and minor repairs to prepare it for staffing though it wouldn’t need any structural repairs. County Manager Eric Mosley commented LFD previously renovated the station to include bedroom space for its firefighters.

Mosley said the station may only be a temporary solution for fire safety coverage due to its geographic location. He added that he and Strickland had discussed alternative locations.

“We have funding in SPLOST V for construction and renovations for our facilities in our fire department,” Mosley said. “The funds that would be utilized now for this station would could from SPLOST V and if we ended up leaving this facility in the future, those materials […] could be transferred to a new station and [the building] could be declared a surplus.”

With this update, Strickland additionally requested funds to renovate of Station 5 on South Smith Road and Station 10 on Roanoke Road. According to county documents, both fire stations were built in the 1970s. Both buildings require roof replacements, installation replacement, as-needed trim and gutter renovations and basic cleanup. The board approved a bid from Bailey Builders Construction, LLC for $25,905 per roof. Funding for the project will come from SPLOST V.