Fire Department

Chief’s Message:

Welcome,

The Lavonia Fire Department is an ISO class 4 department with one station staffed with 100% volunteers. The Department is equipped to deal with multiple types of emergencies including fires, medical emergencies, automobile accidents, and technical rescues.

Our department is committed to serving our community with the highest degree of professionalism and concern for our citizens. We believe that our core purpose is to provide a safe community for our citizens and visitors, and in their time of need, to provide a courteous, compassionate and professional response to that need. The foundation of our operation is our personnel, we believe strongly in the value of the team. We believe that training, education, and the physical development of our staff are the critical components necessary to provide our community with a professional staff that delivers a high quality of service.

I firmly believe that we have a highly capable and professional staff and I am proud to have the opportunity to stand by their side as we serve our citizens.

Sincerely,

Chief Scott H. O’Barr, Lavonia Fire Department

Apparatus

Ladder 1 = 1994- KME 55ft Class –A Pumper / Ladder
Engine 1 = 2017- E-ONE Class -A Pumper / Rescue
Engine 2 = 1999- KME Class -A Pumper
Engine 3 = 2007 –PIERCE Class -A Pumper
Engine 4 = 1999-PIERCE Class -A Pumper / Rescue
Truck 5 = 2015 -Ford 450 Light and Air unit

Staff

The Lavonia Fire Department is a volunteer department with 32 Volunteers. The command staff is comprised of Chief, Assistant Chief, 2 Captains, 2 Lieutenants, Chaplin and 25 Firefighters.

Applications for Lavonia Fire Department are available at Lavonia City Hall, you must be 18 years of age with a High School Diploma or GED, valid GA driver’s license, and most important the desire to help others.

Training

Training is very important to Lavonia Fire Department. Our training meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month starting at 7pm. In addition to our monthly meetings we also train on the 3rd Monday of each month on rescue situations. Each year the Lavonia Fire Department provides over 150 hours of training to each Firefighter.

Training Center

The Lavonia Fire Department is also the home of the Lavonia Fire Department Training Center (LFDTC). This state certified training facility was built and paid for by the use of SPLOST dollars from Franklin County in 2016. All of the physical work was done by our volunteer members and completed in less than one year. The building was constructed using 4/40’ and 3/20’ over sea containers providing over 2400 sq. ft. of working space. This building provides local firefighters the opportunity to learn and improve their skills to better benefit their community through specialized training opportunities, such as Basic to Advanced Fire Attack, Interior Search and Rescue, Fire Ground Operations, Firefighter Rescue, Ladder Operations, Hose Management, Repelling and much more. The Lavonia Fire Department has two State Certified Fire Instructors, and teaches a Basic Firefighter class at the LFDTC each year. This class is open to anyone wishing to attend with approval of their Fire Department.

Firefighter Weekend

In 2017 Lavonia Fire Department hosted the very first Franklin County Firefighter Weekend held at the LFDTC. In a two day setting there were over 100 students in attendance with over 30 instructors from around the state. Students had the opportunity to take classes such as Structure Fire Control, Rope Rescue for the First Due Responder, Auto Vehicle Extrication, and Volunteer Officer Management. This event was a great success and the Lavonia Fire department looks forward to hosting more training events like this in the future.

Respectfully,
Chief Scott H. O’Barr, Lavonia Fire Department

Frequent Questions:

How do I report a Fire, or Emergency?

Call 9-1-1 any time there is immediate danger to a person or property.

How do I obtain a Fire Report?

To obtain a copy of a fire report, you will need to call the Lavonia City Hall at 706-356-8781 during normal business hours which are 8:00-5:00 Monday through Friday. Reports are completed as quickly as possible after an incident but sometimes there are circumstances that delay completion. If the report is ready it can be picked up at the City Hall, emailed or mailed to you.

When may I burn outside?

Outdoor burning is allowed by permit only within the City of Lavonia. Permits are obtained by calling City Hall at 706-356-8781 between 8:00 and 5:00 Monday through Friday and requesting a permit. The process is completed over the phone and there is no charge involved. There are restrictions concerning what can be burned and weather conditions are always considered before permits are issued. More information concerning outdoor burning in Georgia is available at gfc.state.ga.us/OnlinePermits/index.cfm.

What type of fire alarm / smoke detector should I buy?

While the Lavonia Fire Department strongly encourages everyone to install and maintain working smoke detectors in their home, we do not recommend one brand of detector over another. Very useful information about selecting, installing and maintaining smoke detectors can be found on the following website; including information about which detectors have been recalled.

U.S.F.A.: usfa.fema.gov/prevention/technology/smoke_fire_alarms.html

N.F.P.A.: nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/smoke-alarms