04/11/2025
End of an Era: The Resignation of All Chatham County’s Volunteer Firefighters
Volunteer firefighting has deep roots in Chatham County. On August 28, 1961, the first group of volunteers came together to establish a fire department dedicated to serving local residents. Over the years, the department grew as additional volunteer groups joined forces to expand services. Wilmington Island joined the effort in 1972, followed by Skidaway Island in 1975 and Montgomery in 1978.
For more than 60 years, this proud tradition of volunteer service has endured, even through transitions from Southside Fire to Chatham Emergency Services. We had hoped it would continue under the newly established county-run fire department.
However, since the county’s takeover on July 1, 2024, it has become painfully clear that volunteers have no future within the Chatham County Fire Department (CCFD). With heavy hearts, we therefore announce the mass resignation of the remaining volunteer firefighters. We say "remaining" because, under the leadership of the current fire chief, our numbers have already plummeted—from over 100 dedicated volunteers to fewer than 15.
A Betrayal of Promises
During the transition, we were assured that the volunteer program would remain unchanged. However, just 24 hours before the official handover, we learned the truth. The County stripped us of:
• Our division vehicle
• Our ability to drive CCFD Vehicles
• Our red light permits
• Our stipends and reimbursements
• Our ranks and leadership positions
Despite these setbacks—and the blatant dishonesty—we pushed forward, driven by our unwavering commitment to serve our community. But that commitment has limits.
The Final Blow: A Program Designed to Push Us Out
On March 24, 2025, the fire chief called an all-volunteer meeting. Under the guise of a consultant and under direct orders from the county manager, he announced sweeping changes to the volunteer program—effective immediately. These changes make it impossible for volunteers to continue serving:
• Training requirements increased from 80 hours per year to 216 hours per year even though Georgia Rule 513-7-1-.08(b) only requires volunteers to have 24 hours per year.
• Mandatory 144 hours of shift work per year
• State of Georgia EMR and Advanced Firefighter certification required (an additional 200+ hours of training)
• Volunteers prohibited from driving personal vehicles to fire scenes
• Most devastatingly: Volunteers are no longer allowed to respond to fires unless on shift. If we do respond, we will be immediately terminated
The County Values Liability Over Public Safety
Every volunteer firefighter in our department is nationally certified, with between 500 and 1,000 hours of professional training. This does not even include the additional 100+ hours of training and time spent on fire scenes each year.
Yet, the County claims these changes are necessary because they “cannot take the liability” of volunteers driving or fighting fires. This is despite the fact that we hold the same state certifications—and often more years of experience—than many paid firefighters in the department. Add in the fact there have been no lawsuits that we are aware of going back over a decade.
The real shame is that County leadership is more concerned about the risk of being sued than the very real risk to public safety that comes from having fewer firefighters on the scene. They fail to recognize that we are not just volunteers—we are trained, experienced professionals willing to risk our lives to protect this community.
It is clear: Volunteers are no longer welcome in Chatham County’s fire department. And so, after more than six decades of service, we sadly are left with no option other than to give up.
This is not just a resignation—it is a tragedy for the community we swore to protect.
Effective April 11, 2025
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