Cherokee County Fire Department Getting New Trucks

Cherokee County’s fire department is set to start getting new fire engines next year.

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted May 7 to approve a request from Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services to purchase five fire engines from FireLine, Inc. for a little over $5.1 million.

Cherokee Fire has developed an apparatus replacement program based on National Fire Protection Association recommendations and asked for approval to purchase five fire engines with corresponding equipment, according to county documents.

The new engines will replace the older frontline engines, which will be moved into reserve status. Doing so will allow the department to surplus several reserve engines that are over 25 years old, according to the county.

The county expects to receive two of the engines by June 2025, with the remaining engines expected to be delivered in 2026.

The cost per engine ranges from $911,395 to $921,395, with an equipment cost per engine of $118,967, according to county documents.

The new engines were budgeted in the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax 2024 budget.

Commissioners also unanimously voted to approve a request from Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services to purchase one 75-foot aerial apparatus and one 95-foot mid-mount platform apparatus from FireLine, Inc., worth a little over $3.7 million combined.

The cost of the aerial apparatus, including equipment, is $1,476,909, according to county documents. The cost for the mid-mount including equipment is $2,223,407. Both items are budgeted with SPLOST 2024 funding.

The build time for the apparatus and mid-mount is three years, according to the county.