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Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue Department

FORT OGLTHORPE, GA – In 1951, thirteen men came together and founded the Volunteer Fire
Department of Fort Oglethorpe. The original piece of apparatus was a 1941 Chevrolet Fire Engine that
had been part of the United States Army 6th Cavalry which was headquartered in Fort Oglethorpe,
Georgia. When the Army moved out of the post, this engine was donated to the community.

Two years later, in 1953, the Post Fireman’s Club was formed and there were 24 charter members. The
purpose of this club was to handle the business of the Fire Department and also to raise money to
purchase equipment. The club had three original projects. First was the purchase of a second fire
engine, and they did so in 1954, buying what was referred to as Engine 3 for $10,000.

The second project was the purchase of a two way radio system and the third and most aggressive was
the building of a municipal building at the cost of $50,000. Work was started in March 1959 and completed
only four months later. Everything purchased by the Post Fireman’s Club was donated to the Town of Fort
Oglethorpe.

By 1961 the department had four pieces of apparatus. By 1983 it had grown to eight stations in two
counties with ten engines, nine tankers, three brush trucks and two ladders. It had 180 volunteers and
was the largest volunteer fire department in the state of Georgia.

In 1983 the department was given an ISO rating of 4. Only the Chattanooga Fire Department with a rating
of 3 had a higher rating in the area. In 1995 the fire department split when Walker County began to fund
the fire service and it became known as Walker County Emergency Services. Prior to the split in 1995, Fort
Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue had first due response areas in 4 counties (Catoosa, Walker and Dade County,
GA. and Hamilton County, TN.) and a total of 19 stations. The department now has three stations, #1 in
Fort Oglethorpe, #8 in Boynton and #10 on Mack Smith Road and is rated ISO 3, one of only two volunteer
departments in the state with this rating.

Today, operating out of these three stations, the Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue Department consists of
about 75 members. About 60 of them are firefighters and the rest operate in support. Five of these
firefighters are paid full time staff and the rest are volunteers. 2 firefighters within the department are
paramedics and about 28 are EMT’s.
The department currently has 5 engines, 2 ladders, 2 trucks, 1 tanker, 1 rescue, 1 air/light unit, 2
command vehicles, and 1 swift water boat.

The Chief of the Department, Bruce Ballew is a veteran of 41 years with the department, has been Chief
since 2001, and remembers when firefighters rode holding on to the tailboard and operated without any of
the present safety equipment. The department is dedicated to training and holds training sessions at least
once a week. Many of the volunteers serve as full time paid firefighters in larger paid departments
throughout Georgia such as Atlanta, Cherokee County, Forsyth County and Marietta.

About 30,000 residents live within the 26 square miles covered by the department. Fort Oglethorpe Fire &
Rescue responds to about 1800 calls for service each year. The department is part of the Tri State
Mutual Aid Group and the Georgia Mutual Aid Group.

The biggest life safety hazard within the confines of the fire district is Hutcheson Medical Center a tri
county community hospital. The department is currently upgrading its response plans for the hospital and
is undergoing high rise training with regard to this structure.

Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue currently has a swift water rescue team and is in the initial stages of putting
together a Special Operations Team. The men and women of Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue are very
dedicated and work very hard to be an important part of the community. In 1958 a small book was
published about the department. In it was written a section titled “What Makes a Volunteer Fireman”. With
permission from the fire department I have included it here because it reflects the attitudes of the people
who make up the department.

“What makes an otherwise average man give his time – his money – his efforts – and sometimes his life –
to help other people?

There are many kinds of volunteers, but none can match the fireman for complete generosity. He donates
time he could be spending on pleasures or projects to benefit himself. He gives money to buy equipment
because sometimes it is the only way to get it. He offers whatever skills he has to improve his fire station.
He is ready to drop everything and run whenever one of his neighbors is in trouble. Then, because he
believes so strongly in his cause, he spends more time trying to get others to support it. The fact that he
seeks this support from those he is dedicated to help should make this his easiest task. But, it isn’t so.
Sometimes he has to prove the need. Sometimes the proof lies in the smoldering ashes of a house he
hasn’t been able to save. Sometimes he becomes discouraged, resentful and bitter at the apparent lack
of interest in his cause. But his own belief is not shaken. He is a fireman. A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN.
Such are the dedicated men of the Fort Oglethorpe Fire Department.”

The men and women who make up Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue spend countless hours volunteering to
make the community a safer and better place to live and work. It is a pleasure and an honor to be a part
of the organization.