Consolidated fire services discussed

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Consolidated fire services discussed

Wednesday, March 31. 2010

It’s been a long-questioned — but politically sensitive — issue in Jackson County.

Should the county have a consolidated fire department, instead of nine districts and two cities with their own fire departments?

Arcade Mayor Doug Haynie posed the question during negotiations with Jackson County and its nine cities on shared services in the county on Thursday.

Commerce manager Clarence Bryant joked that he retires in two years — and he didn’t want to be involved in that hot-button issue.

Jackson County commission chairman Hunter Bicknell said he has heard that question a number of times, but added that “we may just be a little bit premature to do that.”

The county has 11 fire districts — with Jefferson and Commerce collecting taxes for their fire protection services. The West Jackson Fire District is unique for the county in that it is the only fire district in Jackson County established through the General Assembly. It has the responsibility of levying its own property tax.

The remaining districts also have their fire boards, which recommend a tax rate to the board of commissioners. Jackson County also has a back-up fire brigade at the correctional institute, not far from the county’s new fire training facility.
Bryant said he thinks Jackson County already has county-wide fire protection services.

Bicknell said county officials want to see improvement in coordination and control of the fire districts. That issue may be addressed “as time goes by,” but not immediately, he added.

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#1 ABOUT TIME on 03/31/10 at 05:30 PM [Reply]

Someone had the guts to bring it up ! The backwoods way that Jackson runs there fire districts is nothing more then good old boy politics at there best.
Hunter needs to start doing his job and stop sidestepping this issue. We need one Fire Chief and complete consolidation of services and training.
Everyone knows it except the 3-4 good old boy Chiefs and there buddy Tom Crow who is costing this county millions so he can take care of his friends.
One Chief, One Department and One Team = better service for the cost for everyone in Jackson County!

#2 Ron B on 04/05/10 at 09:19 PM [Reply]

There is no doubt that consolidated services would actually save millions and most of the volunteers could still continue right along with full-time staff. Many other places do this effectively. There would also be more accountability as there are already enough government bodies in the county. Many of my firefighter friends are actually in support of this although there a still a couple of good ol' boy departments holding out.

#3 Eve on 04/06/10 at 03:45 PM [Reply]

I would rather have a paid full time staff and if that encludes the volunteers, so be it. It is quite comfortating to know that something as important as the Fire Department is indeed getting paid like the Police Department. While it may have worked in the pass, I as a taxpayer I would feel much better knowing that our burning homes and possesions are not being entertained by volunteer services. I take nothing away from all the fine individuals who help to keep us safe. Improvements can definely be made along these lines. CONSOLIDATED PAID STAFFERS.

#3.1 Ex firefighter on 04/08/10 at 10:28 AM [Reply]

I spent about 18 years in the fire service and I had some family issues come up and some things that I seen wrong in the fire service in the dept where I worked at that needed to be changed and was down sized because I wanted to address these issues!! Some of the guys in the depts now are only there because when they put in a few more they can get a pension off of it , they could care less about how things are run and if any improvements should be made!! I have a dept right close to my house that has 3 trucks in it that never hadrly goes any where unless it is convient for the person next to it to get a truck!! I helped keep the dept up and spent money on things for the dept, my uncle did as well!! It is time for a change the way this county runs its depts period!! Another thing,the family issues I had should have never found its way back into the fire dept it had nothing to do with it!! I aint a bad person and I love the fire service and hope to get back in it somewhere, to me there needs to be one county wide fire chief for the whole county, but it needs to be someone with common sense!! As for as the city fire depts like Commerce and Jefferson, leave them alone they are okay the way they are, also West Jackson is okay, it is the other depts that need to be changed or have a policy in place that you cant be a chief officer for so long that when you serve you time you have to step down as being a chief officer and let someone with new ideas and who wants to see changes for the better made for the community and citizens it protects!!

#4 TP on 04/08/10 at 04:43 PM [Reply]

Jackson County is not alone in the state by having multiple small depts independent from each other but working in the same county. I know that for people moving from Gwinnett and the other Atlanta suburbs this may seem backwards. In some ways it is. But to compare Jackson County to others surrounding e.g. Hall, Gwinnett, etc. is very irresponsible. Jaskson Co has a population somewhere around 60,000. Coupled with a tax base that can't come close to the tourism that Lake Lanier brings or the industry that has taken over Gwinnett, a "full time" paid dept is not feasible. What is needed here is a "coordinator". O.K. you can call him the "Chief" if you want, but this has to be someone with tough skin, a business mind, and a firm grasp on the ways of the modern fire services. Will this help provide better service to the citizens? Only if the members of each department decides to drop his/her ego and pride and allow this newly appointed cheif to do his job. Will the members allow it? Some will. Others are more stuborn. More than words can say. There are many issues that will need to be hashed out before this can happen. As for a county wide fire services with full time firefighters, it will happen in time. But until the citizens of this great county are ready for taxes to sky rocket in order to pay for the personnel, stations, and equipment that is needed, we should just "Coordinate" the services that we have, and continue to grow our commercial tax base.
TP

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