Fire Prevention Officials Report on Macon, Ga. Fire Department
The committee of the Georgia Fire Prevention Association, which recently investigated the Macon fire department, reported the mltuence of politics was evident; the discipline is only fair; the general efficiency greatly impaired and a feeling of insecurity and unrest prevails among the members. The committee say: “We believe that one of the chief duties of the fire department has been overlooked in the past in that this public service organization has been considered as one whose duty is solely the extinguishing of fire, whereas, a service equally as important to the community lies in its proper employment in the prevention of fires. Further, it will be seen that employment in this manner is a most valuable training school in giving the men ot the department an intimate personal knowledge of the construction of the buildings in which they may be called upon to fight a fire. Therefore, we cannot too strongly urge regular monthly inspection by alternating members duly assigned of all mercantile and manufacturing buildings, school houses, churches, public halls and hotels. Also that a complete record be kept by the chief of the fire department and that a chief officer be granted authority by proper ordinance to compel on written notice returnable in 24 hours to the recorder’s court with proper penalty. the correction of all defects and dangerous conditions found. We particularly urge that the fire department be placed under civil service rules. In general we would suggest legislative enactment to accomplish this through a commission of from three to five members, one of whom shall have his term of office in rotation, expire each year and that this commission be elected by the city at the same time as the members of the water works commission. The chief to be appointed by this commission and responsible alone to it. His term of office to be for life subject to removal only for cause, other than political. The chief to have full control over his department subject only to the commission mentioned above. Members of the department to be selected by the chief after examination as to mental and physical acceptability, subject to confirmation by the commission. Their term ot office to be the same as that provided for the chief officer. That new members be placed on probation and subject to training in the drill school and to be made regular members after such training.” It is the intention of the Georgia Fire Prevention Association to use their irfluence towards p’acing the Macon fire department upon this basis.
