Monroe County Emergency Services holds grand opening for its new Fire Station 10

SMARR, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – After years in the making, Monroe County Emergency Services Fire Station 10 has been rebuilt, in Smarr, as staff, city officials, and other community leaders and members celebrated the opening of the new station with a ribbon cutting while also celebrating Monroe County Emergency Services 50th anniversary on Friday.

The original Fire Station 10, which was located on 50 Evans Road in Smarr, was lost to a fire in November of 2021.

According to a press release, with efforts of Monroe County Commissioners John Ambrose Sr. and Eddie Rowland partnering with Oglethorpe Power, who donated four acres from their Smarr Energy Facility in 2022 to Monroe County, brought the new state of the art Fire Station 10 to life.

Speakers during the ribbon cutting ceremony included, Matt Jackson, Fire, Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Management Agency Director for Monroe County Emergency Services, Alan Gibbs, Monroe County Commission Chairman, John Ambrose Sr., District 3 Commissioner, Eddie Rowland, District 2 Commissioner, Lamarcus Davis, District 1 Commissioner, Al Turner, District 4 Commissioner, Annalisa Bloodworth, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oglethorpe Power, and Glenn Dorner, Former Fire Chief and Historian for Monroe County Emergency Services.

During the ceremony Annalisa Bloodworth, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oglethorpe Power presented a $8450 check for two sets of turnout firefighter gear and also announced they are investing $2 Billion into the community for a state of the art new natural gas facility coming to the area in 2029.

(Photo Credit: Godfrey Hall/41NBC)

“We are delighted, we know that it’s the 50th anniversary of Monroe County Emergency Services and what a great way to celebrate a proud past and look forward to a bright future with this station. It’s beautiful, state of the art, and we know it will serve this community for many years.,” said Bloodworth.

“It was devastating and completely unexpected. I mean, whoever thinks you’re going to have a fire station lost to fire,” said Matt Jackson, Fire, Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Management Agency Director for Monroe County Emergency Services.

“Originally, we had to relocate those firefighters to the station in Bolingbroke, that’s where they were housed. So once we get this station fully operational in the next couple of weeks, we’ll be relocating those back to the station.”

“We just can’t thank them enough. I mean, They’ve been great partners to us, donated us four acres, which gave us plenty of room to build this station. Which the size of the station gives us room to staff more trucks in this area and also gives us more room to grow over the years with personnel as well.”

“This fire station will house two firefighters a shift, but we’ve got the room to grow, to house six firefighters a shift in addition to the volunteers that are here,” said Jackson.

“Well, you know, you got all these companies throughout the county, throughout the state, and they’re always looking out for themselves and not helping the local areas. Oglethorpe, Gresco, jumped right in, I mean, I can’t say enough to them what kind of partners could you want in the county other than them,” said John Ambrose Sr., District 3 Commissioner for Monroe County.

Glenn Dorner, Former Fire Chief and Historian for Monroe County Emergency Services went in depth about the 50 year history of Monroe County Emergency Services during the ceremony and announced his new over 400 page book is coming to Barnes & Noble detailing even more about the history.

Jackson says they also have major plans for the area in the future and from 3:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. everyone in the community was invited to tour the station, participate in fire safety activities, and check out the apparatus.

The new Fire Station 10 is located at 251 Ray Hartley Road in Smarr.