GA Mayor Says He Supports Embattled FD

Nov. 17, 2018
Augusta's mayor has offered support to the Fire/EMA department and is planning meetings to address recent concerns raised about it.

Nov. 17 -- Mayor Hardie Davis offered his support to the city's Fire/EMA department at a news conference Friday and announced a series of meetings to address concerns about it.

"For the last several months, this community, elected officials, local government, the media and others have engaged in what seemingly is a never-ending discussion about public safety," Davis said.

Davis, who was flanked by city officials and fire department members, said he wanted to assure residents and those who have expressed concerns that the city will provide efficient, effective and economical public safety. He also announced the beginning of a series of meetings to discuss concerns raised regarding public safety.

"During the week of Nov. 26, I will convene a series of meetings with a small group of commissioners to meet with the Fire/EMA leadership and their staff, to provide an open forum for honest, respectful dialogue to take place by addressing each concern that has or might be raised regarding public safety," Davis said.

The Augusta Professional Firefighters Association Local 3357 has sent the city and fire department a series of letters raising concerns about training, the relationship between the Augusta and the Augusta Regional Airport fire departments, and the overall safety of firefighters. In addition, an ad in the Nov. 11 edition of The Augusta Chronicle, which Davis acknowledged during the news conference, raised concerns about the ambulance service situation and the fire department and asked for a response from Fire Chief Christopher James.

Davis feels there is nothing that needs to be investigated regarding the concerns, but he is welcoming an open forum of discussion at the meeting, although he feels the open forum has already been taking place.

"What we will not do, as a city, is allow our team to be further indicted or impugned in the public sector, nor will we engage in a combat hand-to-hand or verbal jousting in the local newspaper," Davis said. "That's not how government is run."

In a statement, Local 3357 President Charlie Coleman said his organization views the news conference as "a public demonstration of further attempts by some to ignore problems and redirect attention."

___ (c)2018 The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) Visit The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) at chronicle.augusta.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!