Putnam Commissioners to Consider Land Purchase for New Fire Stations

The Putnam County Commission will vote Monday to decide whether to purchase land to create new fire stations for the Putnam County Fire Department.

County Executive Randy Porter said some of the land being considered will be used to build two stations in Monterey.

“We’re moving the fire station in Monterey out of the city limits and building one on the west side of the city and another one on the east side of the city,” Porter said. “[It will] try to cover more residents within our five mile fire protection of that station.”

Porter said the two stations will be beneficial not only to Monterey, but to the people in the eastern part of the county.

“This should increase the fire protection on the eastern end of the county and get it out of the city limits of Monterey,” Porter said. “We’re going to use that space to expand our rescue and emergency management and emergency services building in Monterey.”

Porter said the new stations and the expanded emergency services buildings will help decrease response times in the area.

“They’ll be able to have more vehicles up there ,” Porter said. “That puts two stations instead of just one so it should decrease response time to a lot of the residents that live in that area.”

A third plot of land for a new fire station is being considered on Gainesboro Grade northwest of Cookeville. Porter said if approved by the commission, all three plots will be purchased within 60 to 90 days and expects facilities to be completed within 6 to 9 months after the land is purchased.

The county commission meets at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse.