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Web posted January 23, 1997

Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff

Augusta finally has a fire chief!

After months of indecision and bickering, the Augusta Commission voted Tuesday to hire East Point, Ga., Chief Ronnie Few to replace the retired Bill Maddox.

A good aspect of this decision is that a Commission majority went back to meeping the college education requirement for department heads (which acting Chief Dennis Atkins didn't meet). Also, Few gets high marks for management from East Point civic leaders, including respected ex-state Rep. Dick Lane.

A troubling aspect is that some fear Few favors mis-named ``affirmative action.'' Commissioner Ulmer Bridges warns, ``If there is any whiff of racial quotas in the fire department, he'll be sure of a lawsuit.'' However, in an interview with us yesterday, Few flatly stated race had no business being mixed up with professional firefighting. ``Very competent people are all I'm looking for,'' he said.

Few also declared, ``I want to live right in the community.'' Good!

The new chief has a golden opportunity to further implement professional standards. Some obviously lapsed under Maddox, especially with revelations that ``free gasoline'' (at taxpayer expense) went to favored firefighters in lieu of raises.