Until early 1964 Hart County was without any type of
fire protection. Thanks to a small number of men who were
members of a Citizens Band CB Radio club, the Hartwell-Hart
County Civil Defense came into existence. The first Director
of this CD unit was Robert M. Glenn. In July, 1964, L. O.
Herndon was appointed by The Hart County Board of Finance and
Hartwell City Council as Director, replacing Mr. Glenn.
Emerging within the Hart County CD Unit was the Hartwell-Hart
County Rescue Squad which worked in conjunction with the
Civil Defense. Two of the Chiefs of the Hartwell-Hart County
Rescue Squad were Larry Sanders and Edger Brown. In the late
1960's, the Hartwell-Hart County Fire and Rescue became Hart
County Fire and Rescue. In 1970 Broadus McLane was elected
by the personnel of this Department to serve as Chief. Chief
McLane served in this capacity until his resignation in May,
1976. At the time of Chief McLane's resignation, the Hart
County Fire and Rescue consisted of Central Station 1, Reed
Creek Station 2, and Goldmine Station 3. The personnel of the
three fire stations elected Charles O.Coggin, Jr. (Bucky) Chief,
to replace Chief McLane May, 1976.
The Hart County Fire Department evolved out of the name Hart
County Fire and Rescue the latter part of 1976.

As of 1991, Hart County Fire Department
consisted of 8 stations -- Central Station 1, Reed Creek
Station 2, Goldmine Station 3, Shoal Creek Station 4,
Bowersville Station 5, Nancy Hart Station 6, Bio Station 7,
and Vanna Station 8, -- with a total of 39 pieces of rolling
equipment. All fire-trucks are designed to haul their own
water because Hart County did not have a county-wide water
system. All of Hart County was classified as a class 9 in
1981. A Certificate of Compliance was issued to Hart County
Fire Department by the state of Georgia May 31, 1986.

All stations were built by residents and fire volunteers in each
community on donated land. Upon completion, the land
and building were deeded to Hart County due to insurance and
funding requirements. The personal in each station maintain
the buildings and property. The funding for the Fire
Department was originally revenue sharing and fund raising by
personal of the Fire Department. As the revenue sharing was
deleted, the Fire Department was subsidized by the tax digest
and also by various fund raisers by the personnel. The
Georgia Forestry Department was of tremendous help to
the Fire Department not only in guidance but in obtaining of
equipment through a lease program.

The Hart County Fire Department personnel were equipped
with either pagers or walkie-talkies. The base radio
(Station 2) for Hart County Fire Department was located at
Hart County Hospital and manned seven days a week, 24 hours a
day by the Hart County Emergency Medical Service personnel.
All of the rolling equipment had radio contact with the base station.

An active installation program of dry hydrants at various locations
was began with the help of rural grants with 28 dry hydrant sites
completed within the county

(excerpt from writings of Chief “ Bucky” Coggin)

“IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FROM THE FIRST EXISTENCE IN
1964 TO THE PRESENT, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VOLUNTEER
DEPARTMENT.”