Here's How Tax Revenue is a 'Game Changer' for Rome-Floyd Fire Department

For the Rome-Floyd Fire Department, the SPLOST continues to deliver.

From a training facility to specialized tanker trucks to bring water to areas where there isn’t any immediate supply, the special purpose local option sales tax has made sure the department is getting the equipment it needs.

“SPLOST has been a real game changer for the department,” Deputy Chief Brad Roberson said. “I’m not really sure what we’d do without it.”

The 2023 referendum will supply $5.7 million in equipment to the department. This includes two new fire trucks, the complete refurbishment of three older fire trucks, an emergency squad vehicle and new self-contained breathing apparatus with Bluetooth capability.

“Our (self-contained breathing apparatus) equipment was 15 years old, and we’re not allowed to use it anymore,” Division Chief Jamie Stone said. “This new equipment, with the Bluetooth, we can actually hear what our guys are saying when they are inside a fully involved structure. It’s amazing.”

The department conducted drills at their training facility on North Avenue in Rome this week using the SPLOST-supplied tanker trucks. The drill is designed to simulate fighting a fire without direct access to water.

Three large portable square tanks, almost like above-ground pools, have to be constantly supplied with water from two tanker trucks and another fire truck.

The supply vehicles were driving to a hydrant on the far side of the training facility, filling up their tanks, and then racing back to keep the pools filled so a constant stream of water could be put on a theoretical fire.

“Our trucks can lay out 1,500 gallons of water in a minute,” Stone said. “And our regular fire trucks hold about 750 gallons, which is about 30 seconds worth of water.”

If there is a fire in a remote part of the county, or any place without a good supply of water, the tanker trucks are invaluable to providing it to fight fires.

“We’ve actually used the tanker trucks in downtown Rome,” Roberson said. “They’ve been extremely valuable in helping us keep water on a fire.”

The department trains for every scenario, and under different types of conditions, because not every emergency occurs under blue, sunny skies.

“We face weather and terrain problems all the time; Floyd County has a lot of challenging features,” Stone said. “Not to mention all of our manufacturing industries — they bring their own set of problems.”