COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Cobb County firefighters have moved into the new Fire Station 12 at the corner of Canton Road and Chastain Corner Road. The modern facility replaces the oldest fire station in the county.
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The previous station was built in the 1960s and lacked the space and technology available in the new building. Firefighters began operating out of the new location one month ago, though the facility is still preparing for its formal debut.
The new facility provides significantly more space than the 1960s-era building it replaced, which was equipped with only one set of laundry machines.
Kevin Brown, a Cobb County firefighter, stated that the new layout offers more privacy for the crew members during their shifts.
“This is one of the bunk rooms that we have here. They are individual bunkrooms, which is good from the old station, where it was one big large room,” Brown said.
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District 3 Cobb County Commissioner Joann Birrell said the updated living conditions are a significant improvement for the staff. Birrell described the station as a “major asset fo
Health and safety features were a primary focus in the design, particularly regarding the storage of protective equipment. The station includes a dedicated ventilated gear locker room designed to protect equipment and reduce the risk of firefighters being exposed to carcinogens. In older stations, gear lockers were typically located in the open bay area where trucks are parked.
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The station features more bays to allow crews to respond to a higher volume of calls. New technology was also installed to decrease response times, including bay doors that open faster than the traditional rolling doors used at older facilities.
An on-site training center allows firefighters to practice rescues and fire simulations. David George, a district chief with the Cobb County Fire Department, explained that the center can mimic specific emergency scenarios.
“For example, this simulates a sewer, so if someone had fallen down into a well or a sewer, something like that, we can set up a system, we can set up a system to lower rescue personnel to save them,” George said.
The official grand opening for Fire Station 12 is scheduled for May.