Staff reports
White County Public Safety has completed the purchase and installation of new generators at several critical facilities throughout the county, greatly strengthening the county’s ability to maintain essential operations during emergencies. This project was made possible through funding awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
Generators were installed at each White County Fire Stations, at White County Animal Control’s animal shelter, and at the main communications tower site that supports the county’s public safety radio infrastructure. These sites play a crucial role in maintaining emergency services, and the addition of reliable backup power ensures that operations can continue uninterrupted during severe weather events or power outages.
“Investing in these generators means White County is better prepared to respond to emergencies,” said David Murphy, Director of White County Public Safety. “They ensure our firefighters remain operational during outages, our animal shelter remains a safe haven for animals in our care, and our critical radio communications network remains online when it’s needed most.”
The total cost of the project was $165,190.97. Of that amount, $148,671.87 was provided by FEMA, $6,607.64 came from the State of Georgia, and the remaining $9,911.46 was covered locally. The county’s portion of the funding was made possible through Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) revenues. SPLOST is a voter-approved funding mechanism that allows counties to support vital infrastructure projects without relying solely on property taxes.