VALDOSTA, GA. (WTXL) — A big step forward for public safety in Lowndes County—one that's personal for some and powerful for many.
- Fire Station 4 will serve the rapidly growing Old U.S. 41 and Mineola area with both fire and EMS support.
- Funded by SPLOST, the project reflects public investment in safety and personal ties for Chief Billy Young.
- Watch the video below to learn why some say this new fire station hits close to home.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A big step forward for public safety in Lowndes County—one that's personal for some and powerful for many.
Fire Station 4 is officially underway—a SPLOST-funded project around $4 million that will bring fire and EMS services closer to the fast-growing Old U.S. 41 and Mineola area.
It's a major investment in response times and community protection—and for Lowndes County Fire Rescue Chief Billy Young, it's also deeply meaningful.
"This station is really dear to my heart because this is where it all started for me. My father was a volunteer at Station North Lowndes Station and there was many times that I got to tag along with him and get to go to calls. And also this really means a lot to me, means a lot to our community."
And the need is real.
With more homes and businesses popping up in the unincorporated county, this area has become a priority for both fire and medical response.
"Our county continues to grow. This was an area of concern that we needed to focus our, you know, manpower on... There'll be also an ambulance at this station, so we'll have fire and EMS, you know, responding out of this station for calls."
Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter says this kind of infrastructure wouldn't be possible without SPLOST—the one-cent sales tax locals approved to support key projects.
"Being able to use SPLOST dollars means that every penny that goes into that will be a part of these type projects and this is how we now do capital improvement projects as plain and simple as with the SPLOST dollars."
Once construction begins, the county aims to have the new Station 4 up in less than one year.
In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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