Fannin County approves $1.71 million purchase of Pierce 107-foot ladder truck

The Fannin County Board of Commissioners voted to purchase a Pierce 107-foot aerial ladder truck for $1,709,479 after a presentation from emergency-management and fire officials.

EMA Director Patrick Cook told the board the county had narrowed its options to two manufacturers and that staff and a group of current and former ladder-truck firefighters recommended the Pierce model because it offers a longer reach (107 feet vs. about 100 feet), higher tip load (750 pounds) and a number of safety and setup features. "We would recommend going with Pierce," Cook said.

Why it matters: county officials said the truck would replace a 1983 aerial apparatus and become the county's only aerial ladder apparatus. The purchase is tied to a federal/state grant the county has already secured; officials said the county will pay the full purchase price up front from the general fund and be reimbursed from the grant. The grant balance cited in the meeting was $887,727.27.

Staff described equipment and timing details that drove the recommendation. Cook and other presenters highlighted the truck’s crash-avoidance systems, an onboard airbag system for firefighter safety, a 360-degree camera and a display that shows outrigger placement and vehicle pitch. The truck also has an auto-level system, a built-in storage box on the ladder, seating for six, and provisions for carrying technical-rescue gear on the boom. The seller offered a prepaid-equipment discount of $78,438 that would be applied to supply selected gear when the truck arrives.

Delivery timing and grant risk were central to discussion. Pierce representatives estimated March 2026 delivery; the dealer agreed to a penalty of $100 per day after June 1, 2026, for delays beyond an agreed date so the vehicle arrives before an August 2026 grant review. "They're willing to work with you guys, and we want the truck delivered before the August 2026 deadline so that the grant doesn't go into review," Cook said during the presentation.

Funding and partner contributions: county officials said the county will advance the purchase from the general fund and receive grant reimbursement later. The City of Blue Ridge has agreed to contribute toward the county’s portion to cover the remaining cost beyond the grant.

Board action: a commissioner moved to purchase the Pierce aerial apparatus in the amount of $1,709,479; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The motion and vote were recorded as approved during the meeting; board members did not record individual roll-call votes on the audio transcript.

Board members and staff said they had involved local and regional ladder-truck personnel in equipment evaluations, taken vehicle demonstrations, and tested setup and placement scenarios downtown to evaluate operational performance.

The decision sets the county to retire its 1983 aerial apparatus and outfit the new truck with prioritized gear so additional equipment requests to the board will be minimized in the first year after delivery.

Ending: County staff will proceed with the purchase and return with any necessary procurement documents; delivery, equipment fit-out and grant reimbursement timing will determine whether additional board action is required before full deployment.