DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners devoted a significant portion of Tuesday’s work session to improving fire protection by adding badly-needed equipment and personnel.

Emergency Services Director David Wimpy presented the recommendation of an evaluation committee that the county purchase two 1,500-gallon pumper fire trucks from Mississippi-based Deep South Fire Trucks at a total cost of $499,998.

The committee report indicated there would be no budget impact if the recommendation is approved since the price submitted is under the budgeted amount and will include the cost to be built and retrofitted with the necessary equipment.

There was also a discussion about the EMS staffing policy and Commission Chairman Chris Dockery directed the committee to come back before the Board with a staffing analysis.

Only three of the county’s stations are currently manned by two firefighters around the clock. One station is fully manned but not by county employees and three others are volunteer only. Mill Creek is manned on a part-time basis.

The county has automatic aid agreements with White and Dawson counties and mutual aid agreements with Hall and Forsyth counties, the U.S. Forest Service and Georgia Forestry.

Commissioner Rhett Stringer pointed out Wednesday the county has only three ambulances and there have been 63 times this year when there were no county ambulances to respond to emergencies and an ambulance from an adjacent county had to be used.