Chief Ben Tapley reports that the Bulloch County Fire Department is roughly two-thirds complete in its drive to hire 37 added firefighters in the current fiscal year — which ends June 30 — more than doubling the number of career firefighters in the county fire service, which previously employed 30. The department has been hosting some training for new-recruit firefighters, and also holding two-week "lateral classes" for already certified firefighters hired laterally from other departments. The pay raises county commissioners approved for the fire service have helped, Tapley said last week.