Fire Chief Kauffman becomes Chief Fire Officer

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GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – More than just a reversal of words, going from Fire Chief to Chief Fire Officer is an international credential that only chief officers serving at or above the level of battalion chief can achieve. Gilmer Fire Chief Daniel Kauffman, serving at the top level of Gilmer Fire, has joined these ranks this month as he completed the designation process on August 2, 2022.

An international designation, only 1,755 Chief Fire Officers (CFO) exist worldwide, with 66 in the state of Georgia. The program is a part of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) corporation that helps high-performing fire departments and emergency services professionals in their efforts to continuously improve.

Kauffman initiated the process with a mind set to self-improvement and career reflection as he set out to achieve this new title committing to both fire and emergency services as well as professional growth through the process’ requirement to create a future development plan. Kauffman said, “It adds credibility to the department, to the position that I am in. I owe it to the commission, I feel, to continue to advance my knowledge and anything that I could bring to the table that would improve the department, improve the county and Fire Department at large.”

Kauffman noted that many offices looking for higher level chiefs and leaders have Chief Fire Officer Designations as preferences for those applying.

According to a statement from the CPSE, “The Designation program is a voluntary program designed to recognize individuals who demonstrate their excellence in seven measured components including experience, education, professional development, professional contributions, association membership, community involvement, and technical competence.”

Officer

Gilmer Fire Chief, and now Chief Fire Officer, Daniel Kauffman

In his own professional development plan, Chief Kauffman included both plans for his own improvement and the county’s fire department like the Company Officer Development Academy, a training process involving over 240 hours of training that goes through Fire Officer 1 state certification and Instructor 1 state certification. He also spoke on partnering with Gilmer Schools to offer training and work programs with them for Gilmer High School to offer Fire Fighter 1 certification and EMT training. As a part of that pathway, Gilmer could hire those students directly after graduating. This offers yet another path to students who may not want to go to college or the military and for those who wish to stay in Gilmer with this as a job ready and waiting for them.

With these as two examples of the work that Kauffman is continuing in Gilmer County, the designation also begins digging into his own history and focusing on strengths and weaknesses as part of that process and peer review that Kauffman said has been a goal over the past two years. Continuing to pursue designations and certificates for himself as well, Kauffman said its not a “selfish thing,” but rather a self-improvement journey that isn’t stopping here. Alongside the three-year renewal process for Chief Fire Officer, Kauffman is already setting his sights on the next path to take. With much of the information gathered already, he doesn’t want to waste any time in pursuing the Georgia Fire Chief Certification.

Kauffman is already preparing to begin the new process and hopes to have it completed by March, 2023. This next certification requires its own point system to even qualify to apply. With much of the information able to transfer from his recent designation for Chief Fire Officer, he hopes to capitalize on his momentum so far.

Continuing that pursuit of improvement and notoriety, Kauffman points again to the county saying that he wants to continue being able to bring more back to the county in terms of his service and knowledge. He stated, “In the position of Fire Chief, if you can meet the qualifications of this or that, I think its important that you put yourself out there and do it.”

Of the 66 CFOs in Georgia that Kauffman joins, most are located in larger organizations in the major cities like the Atlanta area. The closest CFO to Gilmer according to the CPSE website appears to be in Canton, Georgia.

Valid for three years, Kauffman will need to continue maintaining this designation through continued visible growth in professional areas, membership, and community involvement as well as a “strict code of professional conduct.” Though he said he doesn’t have any undertaking the process as of now, Kauffman said it is a designation that he would encourage any of Gilmer’s Battalion Chiefs, Deputy Chief, and any firefighters capable of pursuing other designations in the CPSE.

Brush fire erupts in Gilmer threatening at least one home

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fire

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – Smoke is billowing into the sky above Gilmer County’s mountains as Fire and Rescue are rushing to the scene today. Fighting the fire right now, Gilmer has six response units on scene when Gilmer Public Safety’s Information Officer Al Cash spoke to FYN.

These six units are the core of Gilmer’s response right now, however, Cash confirmed that volunteers are also helping on scene and that Pickens County is also responding with units. Cash did not say how many units Pickens is sending as he noted they are still in the early stages of fighting the blaze

Citizens in town are pointing towards Talona Mountain as response against the brush fire is already underway. Currently Fire Rescue is sending up drones and working towards gaining more information on the fire in terms of size and intensity.

Cash did confirm that at least one house is in serious danger and authorities are working to contain the blaze as fast as possible.

Gilmer’s Public Safety put up a warning yesterday on Social Media about the potential danger for such a blaze due to conditions. A special weather statement noted low relative humidities in North and Central Georgia. The statement posted said, “Humidities of 25 percent or less can be expected for 4 or more hours this afternoon into the evening.” Though that statement spoke only to yesterdays conditions, the current fire broke out earlier today.

So early into the fight against the fire, no information will be available as to a specific cause or whether the current weather conditions contributed to it.

Citizens should avoid the area as emergency response vehicles are continuing to move through the area. Heavy equipment could also be brought in, including bulldozers to help establish a fireline.  Public Safety said they will offer more information once they have ascertained the magnitude of the fire and fully mobilized their resources against it.

FYN will post new stories when updates are available.

Brush fires come amid high risk weekend in Gilmer

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Fire

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – Gilmer County has been under fire warnings and high fire conditions since Friday, March 5, 2021, according to weather service officials.

FireAccording to the National Weather Service (NWS), North and Central Georgia has been under the warnings “due to low humidities.” They stated, “With dry fuels, high fire danger conditions can be expected.”

The National Weather Service said to refer to your local burn permitting authorities concerning whether you may burn outdoors. Gilmer County Public Safety stated today, “There are no Burn Permits being issued today, and likely not tomorrow.”

However, citizens can call 877-652-2876 to get updates on Burn Permits.

FireOn Sunday, Gilmer County Public Safety reported that they had responded to 7 fires, including 4 brush fires. They stated, “Our fire potential is serious due to low humidity, high winds, and an overabundance of dry leaves and deadfall.”

This comes in addition to reports of large amounts of smoke in western parts of the county. Public Safety reported the considerable smoke in our county was due to controlled burns in Murry and Gordon counties.

Additionally, Gilmer Public Safety stated earlier this morning, “Fire Rescue and Georgia Forestry responded to 3 brush fires, 1 of which, off Hicks Ford Rd., was very serious. Being thankful for low wind speeds and highly coordinated firefighting skills, that large fire was contained quickly.”

Public Safety also warned the county has more High Fire Danger today.

4;00 AM EST Tue Mar 9 2021
Hazardous Weather Outlook is for North and Central Georgia.
DAY ONE…Today and Tonight…
High fire danger conditions are expected over much of north and
central Georgia this afternoon into early evening due to low
humidities.
DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Wednesday through Monday…
Afternoon Relative Humidities will begin to slowly rise but we
may have another day of High Fire Danger conditions Wednesday.
Otherwise no hazardous weather is expected at this time.

Grease fire shuts down Hardee’s in East Ellijay

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Hardee

ELLIJAY, Ga. – According to witnesses, the Hardee’s in East Ellijay on Industrial Blvd suffered a fire in the early hours of today, November 25, 2020.

While it is unclear if anyone was hurt by the fire, there appears to be no major damage to the exterior. However, it is our current understanding that the fire forced the restaurant to close for the day.

FYN has reached out to Gilmer County’s Public Safety and Gilmer Fire for details and is currently awaiting more information about the incident. FYN has been told that the fire started in the grease trap, but Gilmer Fire has not confirmed this.

Authorities were on scene this morning, but have since left the location.

 

Roy Road fire stopping traffic

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Judicial Emergency, Padgett, body

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – Traffic is stalling on Roy Road as a home is burning tonight and authorities are responding

According to the Sheriff’s Office social media, authorities are dealing with the fire tonight and asking for those who are on the road late to find alternative routes as the road has been completely shut down in the area.

Public Safety Public Information Officer Al Cash stated, “Upon arrival, the structure was found to be fully engulfed, resulting in a total loss.”

Units were dispatched at 9:29 p.m. to the 5200 block of Roy Road.

As of this time, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

FYN has already reached out to Public Safety in search of more details and will update when available.

Firefighters put out Coosawattee brush fire

Community, Press Release

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Firefighters in Gilmer Counter worked to put out a fast-moving brush fire in the Coosawattee River Resort on Thursday, January 9, 2020 around 3 pm, with command terminating at 5:20 pm.

***TRAVEL ALERT – There is a brush fire and structure fire at 180 Pacer Court inside Coosawattee River Resort, approximately 3.5 miles in off of Newport Drive (Legion Road gate). PLEASE AVOID THIS AREA for emergency personnel.

3:08pm #gilmersheriff

(Click to enlarge)

The fire was worked for two hours on four flanks to prevent further development, and was ultimately confined to the area below Pacer Ct. down to the river and toward Fife Bridge. Two small outbuildings were damaged, but no residences were affected.

An excellent Command Post directing fast and well-coordinated firefighting saved 6 houses from certain damage. We were grateful for the assistance of Georgia Forestry Service who did their share of raking, and brought in heavy equipment for the ready.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, so be sure to stay tuned for future updates!

All quotes and photos courtesy of the Gilmer County Public Safety Facebook page
and the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

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Grants and budget bring upgrades to the fire department

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upgrades to the fire department

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County’s Fire Department is finally seeing the fruition of over a year of planning, adjustments, and applications as they catalog the many upgrades to the fire department.

It’s not just the fire protection that has seen these improvements, however, as Public Safety Director Keith Kucera and Gilmer Fire Chief Daniel Kauffman showcased the new purchases.

Carrying nearly 80 pounds in extra weight, Gilmer Firefighters rely on the gear for safety and protection in their daily service.

“It’s been a busy year,” said Kauffman, “Purchasing equipment and updating to safer and more reliable equipment.”

While the uniforms and the turnout gear came from the county budget after a request came to repurpose capital funds from a pumper tanker truck for the department. Instead of that truck, the county has outfitted the safety turnout gear for fire and rescue as well as new uniforms for members of the department.

In a concerted effort, Kucera, Kauffman, and County Commission Chairman Charlie Paris all said they wanted the new uniforms to be a sign of Gilmer’s professionalism. The county purchased 114 Flying Cross brand uniforms that bear the county name and one patch on the shoulder. Confirming that some employees had used uniforms from other places, Kauffman noted the new uniforms are to show off effort and hard work they do. Having upgrades to the fire department is one thing, but outfitting the employees’ uniforms is a matter of pride.

The new air packs host a special standardized feature to allow other firefighters to hook up to them to share their air in cases of pack failure.

The upgrades include everything in the outfit. Everything from head to toe on these firefighters is new. New jackets, pants, and boots are only the foundation. The department received new air tanks to double capacity from 2216 PSI to 4500 PSI. The tanks are the same size, not increasing the weight, but the extra capacity and pressure allow these men and women to operate longer in firefights.

These new tanks are also a part of a new statewide standard that has the capability for firefighters to go to a fellow firefighter, who may have fallen, blacked out, or is just having issue with his tank, and connect their line to his tank as well. This provides air to someone in a dire situation with tank failure. This system is already in use by the Ellijay Fire Department, improving the cooperation between the two agencies.

The new handheld thermal imaging cameras, left, are much smaller in size, but come with a shorter range than the larger, older versions, right.

Additionally, a firefighter is equipped with a pass device. If one stands still in their equipment for 15 seconds, alarms go off notifying those nearby alerting others through audio and visual alarms. They also come with newer voice amplifiers that are now constantly on and better quality sounds to facilitate communication. New Nomex hoods go under the jacket covering the head as well.

Through the Emergency Management Performance Grant, the department has purchased eight handheld thermal imaging cameras. Much smaller than the average camera used. With a 300 foot range, these cameras clip to the gear to be easily carried and used amid structure fires to both search for hot spots in order to protect firefighters and search for people through smoke or low visibility situations. Additionally, these cameras could also be used outside of structure fires in specific need situations like hiker falling off a bank. Though the technology has been around for years, the compact devices are more affordable now, as such the grants have made purchasing possible.

Much lighter, these Forestry Nomex Coveralls are used in cases of wildfires and similar, holding no air pack and much lighter, wildlands firefighter gear.

New upgrades to the fire department does not mean disposing of the old, however. Kauffman said, “Guys want to train in their gear. It allows them to train in gear that’s not designed for firefighting. And they don’t have to use their gear where they may damage it, rip it, or get it sweaty or smelly. We’ll actually mark the gear as training so it doesn’t get mixed up for fire fighting purposes.”

Kucera also said the department uses older gear like this for the Rangers Program and public events like last year’s appearance and gear tryouts at the Apple Festival.

This isn’t the only gear that’s new to the department, either. Through other grants, other sets of specialty gear of been purchased including forestry and chainsaw safety gear.

With the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Grant, the Gilmer County Fire Department, 14 Forestry Nomex Coveralls were purchased for safety in the woods as these firefighters aid in controlled burns or find themselves fighting a wildfire as Gilmer has seen in recent years. A different process than structure fires, this gear provides different functionality. Wildfires are about control and containment instead of structure fires where they would enter for search and rescue and focus on extinguishing fires. This gear is also far more lightweight.

Arborist gear, purchased from recent grants in 2019, is used when utilizing chainsaws on downed trees and similar situations in Gilmer County.

Just as Gilmer aided in the wildfires in the past year, they are also on standby with the damage from hurricane Dorian coming through. With the department’s boats, usually used in rescue operations in nearby lakes and rivers, being on standby has specific travel supplies and equipment made ready and in staging positions if a need is called for.

The last set of gear, also from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Grant, eight sets of arborist gear will be used for storms, wind damage, and other needed situations as fallen trees are very common in Gilmer County.

A firefighter packs on an average of 60 – 80 pounds according to Kucera, but this new gear, including the expanded capacity air packs, handheld thermal imaging cameras, and standardized hosing and connectors, its 80 pounds of safety and protection. adding extra capabalities without massively increasing weight is just a part of these upgrades for the fire department as these men and women serve the community in what they do.

Their service is not just Gilmer County, but any in need through grants and agreements for mutual aid as well as disaster situations like so many communities are facing against Hurricane Dorian.

Gas spill closes intersection alongside 515

News
The truck dumped nearly 40 gallons of diesel fuel along the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and 1st Avenue.

The truck dumped nearly 40 gallons of diesel fuel along the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and 1st Avenue.

EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – Authorities have shut down the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and 1st Avenue in East Ellijay after a semi-truck lost its gas tank and spilled the contents on the road.

Authorities on-scene confirmed no injuries as the truck lost one of its gas tanks after turning off of Highway 515. After dragging the tank several feet, the driver pulled into the parking lot by the river. But authorities say the tank dumped nearly 40 gallons of diesel fuel across the pavement before he could pull off.

 

Quick response by authorities did manage to keep the fuel out of the river, averting potential environmental damage.

Quick response by authorities did manage to keep the fuel out of the river, averting potential environmental damage.

The quick response from emergency services was able to keep the diesel fuel from reaching the river and causing environmental damage. As of now, units from both East Ellijay and Ellijay are working in conjunction to aid and redirect traffic around the site by sending people to the on-ramp further north, Greenfield Road, where Highway 52 travels under Highway 515.

Authorities have already begun the clean-up process, but are not sure exactly how long it could take. Citizens can still access the area via the detour, but may also wish to seek alternative routes when traveling today.

Fire Department Budget Amendments changes priorities

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Precinct
https://youtu.be/r8_9BL_CuJ8

ELLIJAY, Ga. – The Gilmer County Fire Department is continuing with changes to budget recommendations since last October.

While discussions at that time had former Public Safety Director Tony Pritchett prioritizing a pumper truck higher on the list, the new Public Safety Director Keith Kucera, along with Fire Chief Daniel Kaufman, have urged the Commissioners to reconsider this budget priority.

Instead of the truck, Kucera and Kaufman are asking the Board of Commissioners (BOC) to prioritize the upgrading and replacement of older turnout gear for firefighters. The new gear will be funded from the same money that was set for the truck. However, Board of Commissioner Chairman Charlie Paris states that there is expected to be a difference in the financial allocations. Therefore, an amendment will be needed.

With 30 complete sets of gear, three vendors have been looked at. The cheapest vendor offers Lion Brand gear at $61,705.50.

The department is also looking to replace 28 air packs for the firefighters to transition from 2216 PSI to 4500 PSI. Kaufman said this allows longer work times on scene as well as better compatibility with Ellijay’s Fire Department.

The estimates for the 28 air packs with spare masks and cylinders, along with extras like voice amplifiers and larger batteries, totaled $215,740, according to Kaufman who spoke during the BOC April Meeting.

Kaufman went on to say that the Fire Department wants to get to a point where they may rotate this gear among volunteer stations or other places of need. With this, the department would potentially only be looking to buy ten sets every 3 years instead of making large purchases like they are looking at now.

Additionally, the county Fire Department’s ladder truck failed an inspection with an issue in the turntable at the base of the ladder that allows it to rotate. Kucera stated the truck is from 1986 and it has just “failed over time.”

Due to the age of the truck, Kucera said there is a sole source bid situation for repairs. That bid came in at $39,150. Paris questioned what the cost of replacing the truck completely could total. Kucera and Kaufman both said it would be around $500,000.

While the Commissioners agreed on the severity of the need, allowing Paris and Chief Financial Officer Sandi Holden to look deeper into the budget and find the difference between the originally budgeted pumper truck and the need for the gear, air packs, and ladder truck repair.

Kucera speaks on Public Safety Director position

News, Police & Government

ELLIJAY, Ga. – A surprise even to him, he says, the Board of Commissioners officially announced Keith Kucera as the Public Safety Director of Gilmer County.

FYN caught up with Kucera to ask him how he felt about moving from his months as Interim into the full-term position.

He called it an honor to serve the citizens of the county in this position and looks forward to the coming months as he builds relations between the county and state and other local agencies. Kucera moves into the full term position alongside Daniel Kauffman as the Fire Chief of Gilmer.

Gilmer County Public Safety Director, Keith Kucera

Gilmer County Public Safety Director, Keith Kucera

Kucera retired from military after 25 years of active duty, where he served in the U.S.  Coast Guard, and moved to Ellijay where he says he never expected or looked to become a Director, yet when the opening came, he put forth his name and served in the interim. He lives here with his wife, Pamela.

It is a move that many firefighters seem happy with. As reported in “BOC names full time Public Safety Director and Fire Chief,” many members of emergency services showed up at the commissioners meeting to show support for the direction the BOC was taking in their departments, though they didn’t know Kucera was being named as Director, FYN has come to understand that  it had been internally announced before the meeting that Daniel Kauffman was taking the position of Fire Chief.

Kucera said the show of support “means the world” to him. Having the support of the men and women of the departments, and his family’s support as well, is “second to none. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and I look forward to many years to come.”

According to Kucera, their support and the support of the Fire Chief is what will allow him to open up more to the duties of a Public Safety Director and allow the fire department to focus on what they do with a chief who can focus on that as well.

This is something Gilmer Commission Chairman Charlie Paris has said before as he wanted to separate, at least, the fire chief position so as to not have one person pulled into too many directions and possibly detracting from the service offered to the department.

Kucera said, “The Public Safety Division is going to be able to branch out to the other agencies within the county and build more of a coalition-type group within the county to serve the public better as a whole.” Kucera went on to note that some other benefits could include a better chance at obtaining and retaining grants from the federal and state governments as well as combining into a consolidated public safety group in times of need.

Besides the day to day work, Kucera said one of his major projects to tackle as the Public Safety Director is building community relations. He stated, “I continue to pledge my service to the community, to the citizens, and I look forward to meeting every single person I possibly can.”

Throughout the entire time speaking with him, Kucera never mentioned how he wanted to lead the department or the type of leadership he wanted to show. Instead, numerous times, he repeated that he was anxious to continue “serving with” the firefighters and emergency response workers of the county.

BOC names full time Public Safety Director and Fire Chief

News

ELLIJAY, Ga. – “Solidarity” was the word used by one fireman who spoke at Thursday’s, March 14, Commissioners Meeting.

Keith Kucera, Public Safety Director of Gilmer County

Keith Kucera, Public Safety Director of Gilmer County

That show of solidarity included 15 members of public safety’s fire and ems divisions as the stood together to tell the BOC that they are happy with the direction and way the Public Safety Department is moving.

To take that one step further, Gilmer County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlie Paris skipped ahead on his agenda to return the favor by officially announcing  Keith Kucera as the full-time Public Safety Director. Kucera has served as interim since February 12, 2019, and now begins his service as the full time Director, leaving the interim title behind.

Kucera also released information to FYN that an official announcement has also been made about the full-time Fire Chief. Kucera was proud to announce Daniel Kauffman will be taking the position as Kucera tells FYN he comes from Ocala, Florida.

Kucera said that Kauffman brings 30 years of fire service experience from Marion County in Florida as a District Chief and a Battalion Chief. He also has a Master’s Degree in Human Resources and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science.

Despite recent issues in the Fire Department, Paris stated to those present that they had no idea how much their public display meant to the Board.

Further, those fire and ems staff present offered standing applause to the announcement of Kucera to the Director position during the meeting.

Bobcat Trail repair hits gas line

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A 2-inch natural gas line was hit, causing a leak, during repairs on Bobcat Trail in March.

A 2-inch natural gas line was hit, causing a leak, during repairs on Bobcat Trail in March.

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Repairs on Bobcat Trail came to a halt Monday evening, March 4, as the contractor on the project struck a gas line hidden under the pavement.

It appears that a backhoe struck the line when digging under the roadway and began leaking the gas as a section was torn out. According to an on-site Supervisor for DRS Contracting, an emergency locate had been called in. He further stated that an unnamed subcontractor for Atlanta Gas Light gave the “all-clear” for DRS to go ahead with the project.

He asserted that Atlanta Gas Light’s report didn’t show any line in the area.

The line that was struck was four feet below the damaged roadway that was shut down by Gilmer County Charter School System last week. Work had just begun on repairing the damage today before hitting the line.

While digging out under a section of road on Bobcat Trail, DSR Contracting struck the gas line.

While digging out under a section of road on Bobcat Trail, DSR Contracting struck the gas line.

Emergency Servcies were immediately contacted as well as Atlanta Gas Light. The Ellijay Fire Department responded to the scene to monitor threats during repairs.

According to Gilmer County Charter School System Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs, Atlanta Gas Light has arrived on scene tonight and estimates that the line repair should be completed “fairly quickly.”

Downs further stated that the lines must be cleared and all pilot lights re-lit in the kitchens of both Gilmer Middle School and Gilmer High School. She said, “At this point we are thinking that everything will be fixed and ready for school in the morning.”

Stay with FYN for updates on Bobcat Trail and the continuing repairs near Gilmer High School.

Dempsey steps down as Interim Fire Chief

News

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Less than a day after Gilmer County Commission Chairman Charlie Paris announced Mike Dempsey as the new Interim Fire Chief, he has stepped down as well.

This makes the third Fire Chief to have left the position in the month of March counting previous Public Safety Director Tony Pritchett, first-interim Brian Scudder, and, now, second-interim Mike Dempsey. Just like Brian Scudder, Dempsey will continue his service in the Fire Department, but is not going to serve as interim chief.

Paris has not indicated who he will name as interim Fire Chief next. With the continuing issues in the Department, it is unclear if he will seek another interim from within the ranks or if he will look elsewhere.

Replacement doesn’t mean resolution in Fire Department

News

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County is still amid disorder this week as Gilmer County Commission Chairman Charlie Paris confirmed with FYN that the current Gilmer County Interim Fire Chief, Brian Scudder, has left the office.

“We just weren’t on the same page about some things,” said Paris on Thursday as he reiterated the changes he is hoping to see come in the Fire Department of Gilmer County. Scudder is still in the Fire Department but is no longer serving as Interim Chief.

Former Public Safety Director Tony Pritchett

Former Public Safety Director Tony Pritchett

These changes began when former Public Safety Director Tony Pritchett resigned from office in early February. Though originally resigning effective on March 15, Paris said he later had decided that Pritchett’s presence was not coordinating with his plans for the future and made an agreement with Pritchett to pay his original agreement out to March 15, but to remove Pritchett from the county immediately.

Chairman Paris originally wanted to separate the position into three positions including Fire Chief, EMA Director, and Public Safety Director. In Paris’ eyes, the Public Safety Director would have been the Department’s head with managerial responsibilities with EMA Director and Fire Chief serving under him in their areas of expertise with the requirements, technicalities, and skills required in those positions.

However, he settled for two positions instead of three and named Brian Scudder to Interim Fire Chief and Keith Kucera to the Interim Public Safety/EMA Director.

However, in the progressing weeks, conflict and turmoil have arisen in the Fire Department resulting in two internal investigations and several changes in the systems make-up.

Paris states he has had enough with the way things have been in the Fire Department. “There is s a significant amount of turmoil in the Fire Department right now,” says Paris.

Soon after naming the two to the position, an incident at Fire Station 1 occurred with one firefighter finding his bed saturated in water. An investigation ensued immediately into the occurrence. Paris openly admitted that while they did not discover exactly who was behind the act, he felt he did send a message to the department about the changes he wants.

However, the Fire Department’s other investigation went much further as Paris states that on a Friday morning he offered Scudder the position of Fire Chief, Kucera was out of town, so Paris waited until Monday morning to offer the Public Safety Director Position. Paris states that at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, he held a meeting with Tony Pritchett to share his appointments with him.

Gilmer County Commission Chairman Charlie Paris

Gilmer County Commission Chairman Charlie Paris

Then, Tuesday morning, Paris received a complaint about Kucera trying to get people to protest the appointment of Scudder to Fire Chief. After meeting with Kucera and interrogating him on the allegations, Paris called in several firefighters that were set to protest the Fire Chief position. Questioning each individually about how and when they found out about Brian Scudder’s appointment which had not been announced yet. The overwhelming response indicated that all but one had learned about the appointments early Monday morning from Tony Pritchett, having found out about the appointments prior to his meeting with Charlie.

Paris tells FYN that the investigation cleared Kucera of any allegations of protest or antagonism in Department. He continued saying that most of the response he has had is positive about Kucera’s appointment.

Moving past the investigations, Paris says he is confident moving forward with his appointment of Keith Kucera to interim Public Safety Director and his new appointment he is announcing of Mike Dempsey to Interim Fire Chief.

At this point, there is still no indication as to who or what is causing instigations in the Fire and EMS, but Paris seemed to indicate that he doesn’t care. He says he is focused on moving forward and buckling down on the departments’ disciplinary actions.

Naming Mike Dempsey as the new interim Fire Chief, Paris says that he has gone about the appointment slightly different as this time, he has taken recommendations from Kucera and references to consider. Part of the consideration Paris had for Dempsey in the interim position is that Dempsey has no consideration or desire for the permanent position.

Pritchett resigns from Public Safety Director

News, Police & Government
Tony Pritchett

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County Public Safety Director Tony Pritchett has tendered a resignation from his position as Public Safety Director.

Though his letter of resignation is tendered, it is notice of his resignation at March 15, 2019, meaning he will remain in the position until then to prepare and possibly train his replacement. He has served 16 years in Gilmer County, with 12 of those as Chief and Director. He was Fire Chief until 2015 when the position of Public Safety Director was created and he has served in since.

According to his resignation letter, Pritchett cited that he is pursuing other opportunities. Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlie Paris said that the County will begin advertising for the position in the next 10 days and will look both internally and externally for candidates.

Paris confirmed that he tendered his letter today, February 6, 2019. He also told FYN that he has appreciated Pritchett’s service over the years and has wished him well in his pursuits.

Fire and Rescue Weekly Status Report 12/9 -12/15

News
Dates Structure Fires Fire Alarms Emergency Med Calls (EMS)
12/9/18-12/15/18 1 1 99
MVC (Vehicle Accidents Haz. Conditions Other Total Calls
12 6 1 120

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