Glynn County Administrator Charles Stewart, from left, County Fire Chief Al Thomas, County Commissioner Don Hogan, County Commissioner Tony Thaw and County Commissioner-elect Amy Calloway cut the ribbon during an open house at the new Glynn County Fire Department administration office building at the Public Safety Complex. (AP)

Glynn County Fire Chief Al Thomas beamed Wednesday as he gave a tour of the county’s new Fire Administration Building at 121 Public Safety Blvd.

It was the first time that he has had a chance to show off the new facility, which contains eight offices, a large kitchen and a large room for ambulance supplies, called the quarter master room.

“This building will help us save taxpayer money because it allows us to keep a better control of individual supplies and the building itself is more energy efficient,” Thomas said.

The new building has been a long time coming. It was approved by taxpayers as part of a special purpose local option sales tax passed in 2001, but funding wasn’t found for the project until a subsequent SPLOST.

Thomas said the fire department’s administration was in dire need of room to expand. The old building, behind the Department’s Ballard Station on Community Road, was in bad shape and did not have enough space for the growing department.

“It served its purpose well, but as we’ve grown as a department, our administration has grown,” he said.

The eight offices at the new building can be divided into several smaller offices, if needed, for future expansion.

“It’s a beautiful building and we’re proud if it,” Thomas said.