Future building design.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 29, 2021 | A South Georgia native and attorney, John Mattox, was a good friend of mine. We keep remembering his idea about how any community looked upon itself. John thought anyone could tell a good deal about any town’s pride by the way it took care of two elements in that town: its cemeteries and its courthouse. If you saw either of these run down, the community didn’t take much pride in itself.
Let me add another such element. Consider the way any community builds and maintains its fire stations.
A solid fire department is a key component of any community. This department is vital, and most necessary, and its buildings should be built to last for years and years, since communities will always need fire stations. Good community fire departments can make a town proud. Well-run fire departments also determine how much homeowners pay for fire insurance. Fire stations must be in close range of homeowners to get the best rates for fire insurance. Another element in determining fire insurance rates is adequate water pressure and sufficient fire plugs throughout a community.
Fire insurance rates are set by the national Insurance Services Office(ISO). Before Gwinnett had county-wide fire protection, its ISO rating was nine, which is high. Today all across Gwinnett, the ISO rating is four, giving our suburban area a substantially lower fire insurance cost.
Gwinnett County has had a well-run fire department for 50 years, starting in Norcross on December 14, 1970, and at first only covering areas in Pinckneyville. It came as a result of Gwinnett’s first big industry, Western Electric’s Laboratory and wire cable plant coming to Norcross in what would eventually employ 3,800 people at its location by Interstate 85 at Jimmy Carter Boulevard.
Western Electric officials did not announce it was coming to Gwinnett until county commissioners could provide sufficient sewer and a fire department to cover that plant. To get matters underway, Gwinnett County, led by the late Commissioner Ray Gunnin, formed an innovative solution. They paid DeKalb County to provide temporary sewer capacity and fire protection for the plant until Gwinnett could provide its own services. (Western Electric also helped spur Gwinnett’s growth in another way: it was Gwinnett’s new water department’s biggest customer, helping ensure the financial stability of that department.)
Station 1
But back to fire departments: Today Gwinnett has 31 handsome fire department structures, all built solidly out of brick (except for one station.) We know of many towns where the fire stations are not solid brick buildings, but can either be older buildings not well maintained, or even metal buildings, and not nearly as attractive as the Gwinnett fire stations, of which many are of the design of the original Fire Station No. 1 in Norcross.
All along since its inception, Gwinnett has continually improved its fire services, today to include emergency medical services and ambulances. It has been expanded to include Tactical Rope Rescue Unit and Trench/Building Collapse Rescue Units. The Tactical Rope and Trench Rescue would later become the Technical Rescue Team.
So during its 50th anniversary celebration, we take pride in Gwinnett’s fire departments, and its fine looking stations. It’s another way Gwinnett shows its pride.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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