‘Ladies and Gentlemen, Your New Engine House’

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Forsyth County Fire Department Fire Chief, Danny Bowman, as he addressed the Friday morning crowd at the Grand Opening Ceremony for the new Fire Station 7. Located at 6320 Dahlonega Highway in the Silver City community, the station has a history that dates back to the early 70's, when it began as a sub-station for the Forsyth County Volunteer Department on a piece of land donated by local resident and business proprietor, William Mills of Mills Fuel Service. 

Serving the Silver City community, Station 7 is a two-bay facility and measures 7,333 square feet. Its $1.3 million cost was funded by “Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax-5 (SPLOST-5) which included roughly half a million dollars toward the $2 million needed. Impact Fees which are paid by developers during new construction, provided the remaining monies.

The million dollar price tag is, according to Bowman, “not bad, considering it will be around for half a century.” The building serves as a prototype for future Forsyth County fire stations. 

“Seven percent of construction costs usually go for architectural fees. I can reduce that substantially by using the same floor plan,” explained Bowman. A two-bay facility, such as Station 7, costs roughly one million dollars while a four-bay costs three.

Besides the two bays for fire equipment, the facility also has a training/exercise room, a unisex bunkroom, kitchen/day area, separate restroom/shower facilities, and laundry facility. In addition, there is an office and officers rooms. Privacy curtains will be hung when male and female firefighters are on duty simultaneously.

Local officials took part in the official “Hose Uncoupling” ceremony, which is the more tradition version of a ‘ribbon cutting ceremony.’

“I’ve never been to a hose uncoupling before. It’s pretty neat,” indicated District 1 Commissioner Pete Amos.

Following the uncoupling, attendees were invited by Captain Jason Shivers, Inspector General of the Forsyth County Fire Department, to come forward and sign the fire hoses. The hose will be displayed within the building for visitors and firefighters to view.

Chief Bowman reassured neighboring Silver City residents by promising “we will be good neighbors” and will use discretion when turning on lights and sirens.

“This is an amazing facility. It’s first class,” said Georgia State Senator Steve Gooch.  “It will save lives. Silver City is very fortunate,” he added. A former Lumpkin County volunteer firefighter, Gooch shared, “I have a great deal of respect for firefighters and what they do.”

According to information distributed at the ceremony, the official ground-breaking ceremony was held Thursday, August 12, 2010.