Fort McPherson: Training City Fire, Rescue Workers

Atlanta hopes to have its fire and rescue personnel training on base in a matter of weeks at Fort McPherson.

The goal is to provide time for the military to show city workers proven techniques for handling emergencies before the military leaves the base by Sept. 15.

The agreement now being devised will mark a milestone in the history of the base that opened in 1885 – civilians will respond to emergencies on the base.

“We are moving forward, and something good is happening in terms of Fort McPherson,” said Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd.

Sheperd is the lead sponsor of pending legislation that aims to provide Atlanta emergency workers with access to the base. She also has handled a lot of community criticism over the redevelopment plans for the 488 acres on the base.

The intensity of debate over the military base's future makes the transition of Atlanta’s emergency workers onto the base a moment to celebrate for Sheperd and others who worked on the redevelopment plan.

“The fire department at Fort McPherson doesn’t want to just walk away and leave,” Sheperd said. “This agreement will enable the fire department of the City of Atlanta to go on the base and learn everything about the fire apparatus, so that by the time the Army leaves the base everyone with the city will know where everything is stored.”

Sheperd had hoped the agreement would have been approved at the council’s July 18 meeting. But some last-minute details emerged in the negotiations, and the Army decided to take additional time to review the terms.

The current plan is for the Atlanta City Council to approve an agreement with the military at the council’s Aug. 15 meeting, Sheperd said. This timeline presumes the Army will sign off on a deal shortly. The council is not slated to meet Aug. 1 because it will be on a summer break.

The military is to vacate Fort McPherson on Sept. 15. On that date, Atlanta is to become the sole responder to emergencies on the base.

Atlanta fire Capt. Jim Daws, head of the city’s fire union, said the fire department has the personnel and resources to serve the base.

“I don’t have any reason to believe it will be a burden to the city’s existing fire protection scheme,” Daws said. “Fort McPherson had its own fire department, and now that the Army is deeding the property to the city it’s natural for the city to cover it.”

The city’s pending legislation is straight forward, according to Jack Sprott, executive director of the state authority overseeing the conversion of the fort from military to civilian use.

“It establishes a relationship between the city and Fort McPherson to insure that the facility has adequate fire and rescue coverage in this period of transition,” Sprott said in an email.

“Future fire and rescue responsibilities will be determined by agreement prior to base closure,” he wrote.

According to the legislation, the military’s Directorate of Emergency Services would show the city workers how to protect the base.

The first paragraph says it all:

“A resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with the directorate of emergency services ... on behalf of the Department of Fire Rescue for the purpose of providing fire protection, suppression, emergency medical, hazardous material, and technical rescue support within the boundaries of Fort McPherson....”

Sheperd said the city’s other public safety services will follow the fire department into Fort McPherson.

“The ultimate goal, Sheperd said, "is that after the fire department, the city will do the same with police.”

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