The Peachtree City Fire and

Rescue Department still needs another nine firefighters so three can be

added to each shift, according to Fire Chief Stony Lohr.

But it appears that request

may go unfunded again for a second year in a row as city staff have only

budgeted for an assistant fire marshall in next year's budget.

Bill Gray, a volunteer firefighter,

told the City Council at its retreat Friday that even adding nine men

to the ranks wouldn't meet the minimum guidelines established by the National

Fire Protection Association.

The previous day, the department

responded to a structure fire, a medical call and a commercial fire alarm

at the same time which drastically depleted its resources, Gray said.

"We didn't have enough

people to respond to another call," Gray said.

City finance director Paul

Salvatore noted the department hasn't had problems with its response times.

Salvatore suggested hiring a consultant to analyze the city's need for

additional fire personnel "before we spend a million dollars of taxpayer

money."

Gray indicated that if the

department was stretched too thin on just one occasion which delayed response

time to another critical situation, the city would likely be sued. He

also said without hiring more firefighters, the city's insurance rating

would go up, thereby increasing insurance costs for city residents.

Salvatore said he felt by hiring

nine firemen, the city's taxes would increase more than citizens would

save with a lower insurance bill.

The assessment of the fire

personnel levels could begin sometime in the coming fiscal year, Salvatore

said.

Such a study would cost approximately

$30,000.

The city does have long-term

plans to add another fire station to serve the western portion of the

city, which is teeming with new residential development, and another for

the southern side of the city.

The assistant fire marshall

position was also requested by Chief Lohr.

City staff are recommending

a maximum of one new person be hired for each department as follows:

A full-time staff assistant

for the administrative services department;

A full-time planning assistant

for the developmental services department;

A full-time staff assistant

for the police department;

A full-time mechanic for the

public services department;

A part-time staff assistant

and a part-time building technician for the Kedron Fieldhouse.

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