WALHALLA — Emergency Services Director Rodney Burdette is hoping to get a helping of a $210 million dollar pie to provide some rural fire departments with new and renovated facilities. He discussed the possibility at Thursday’s Emergency Services Commission meeting.

“In the stimulus package, there was $210 million dollars that was appropriated specifically for renovation and rebuilding of fire stations,” Burdette said.

Burdette is going through the application process as quickly as possible as emergency services determine which stations are in need of rebuilding and which need renovation. The speed of the process is necessitated by the looming July 10 deadline for turning in the grant application.

The funds limit applicants to $15 million per project, a figure Burdette said was far more than Oconee County needed for what they have in mind. A total cost in the neighborhood of $10 million would be the most accurate estimate, he added.

“We have three or four stations that really need to be replaced. Crossroads is one. Fair Play needs to be replaced. Pickett Post is probably in need of a new station,” Burdette said. “We’ll be looking at stations to see whose need is more critical than others in replacing. Some may be able to just do renovations.”

Besides station rebuilding and renovation, Burdette is hopeful the grant money could help meet a goal he’s long emphasized: substations. He’ll be asking rural fire chiefs to identify at least two locations in their respective areas for possible substations. Should the federal funds be granted, Burdette hopes to shorten stations’ response time with a series of basic two-bay substations. It is a point the OCES boss has brought up at more than one juncture.

“We’ve said that. This gives us an opportunity to be address that need,” he said.

Only one application will be submitted in the stead of all the rural departments. Burdette believes Oconee County’s need for the upgrades will make it a prime candidate, also emphasizing the opportunity for an economic shot in the arm to a county being increasingly affected by the recession.

“I think we have as good a shot as anybody will have. We have a big need here; we have a large county,” Burdette said. “If we can get approval, it could help stimulate the local economy through building and construction.”