Ex-fire chief bids farewell to Augusta

Questions of leadership ability quelled as Few prepares to tackle District of Columbia's department

Web posted July 10, 2000

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By Mark Mathis
Staff Writer

With a slight tinge of regret for leaving behind some unfinished business in Augusta, Ronnie Few begins a new challenge today when he takes over as fire chief of the nation's capital.

``A number of people think I should be afraid because nobody thinks anybody can turn D.C. around,'' Chief Few said. ``They've got a good fire department, but we're going to have a better department.''

Chief Few's three years as head of the Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department are considered by many of the department's battalion and deputy chiefs as a time of positive change.

Under his watch, old equipment was replaced with state-of-the-art technology, the first female firefighters in the department's history were hired, the department took a more prominent role in the community through fire education and prevention programs, and new recruits were required to become certified emergency medical technicians.

All the programs made the fire department one of the best in Georgia, Chief Few said, without raising the budget.

``Long after I leave here, the results of some of the things I put into place will still be here,'' he said. ``I left this place in a better condition than it was when I came here.''

But with the fire department slated to receive $24 million in the next five years from the proposed 1 cent sales tax for the relocation and renovation of the county's 19 fire stations, Chief Few said he regrets leaving behind an unfinished project he's asked the county to approve since he took over the department.

OTHER STORIES: • Fire chief nears OK for Washington job • Chief answers questions • Capital supports fire chief • Few addresses allegations • Augustans back Few in capital • Agents confiscate fire records • Fire official resigns from department • Few pays $642 bill for calls • Officials' phone bills top $1,000 • Mayor is unsettled by debts • Chiefs group covers late bill • Chiefs' bill goes unpaid • Ex-fire chief bids farewell to Augusta • Group hits media for Few squabble • Fire chief reports to grand jury • Few faces final vote by D.C. council • Few accepts D.C. job

``After they get that $24 million, this will be one of the better fire departments in Georgia, and probably the best,'' he said.

Chief Few, who came from the East Point Fire Department near Atlanta in 1997, also brought in a new style of leadership that incorporated all chiefs, a stark contrast to the ``autocratic'' methods of previous fire chiefs, Battalion Chief Ron Shirey said.

``He told us over and over again it was our department and not his,'' Chief Shirey said. ``That was something that we were totally unfamiliar with.''

Including his two deputy chiefs and the battalion chiefs in the decision-making process ``taught everybody in the department how to run a department,'' Deputy Chief Carl Scott said.

``We just don't have the same department we had three years ago,'' Deputy Chief Scott said. ``We've got accountability from each ranking in the department, and we have a clear organization of who answers to who.''

But Chief Few did receive some ``unfortunate'' criticism in the media, his department and county government for some of his actions as fire chief, but he said he expected that because he was ``an agent of change.''

``When you make as many changes as I made, it brings about some friction,'' he said. ``I feel like I changed the department too quickly for some, but I don't think I could have done it any other way. .ƒ.ƒ. People thought I was bringing too many Atlanta ideas, but as a result we have a better department. We have one that is upgraded. When people talk about Georgia, they talk about the Atlanta and Augusta fire departments.''

Today begins the next opportunity for Chief Few to be a change agent - and he's got a number of problems awaiting him.

Near the top of the list is lowering the response times of the district's emergency medical services system, which is under his supervision.

The Washington fire department also will need a morale boost after not having a permanent fire chief since November and having a popular interim chief resign after a budget dispute in April, said Lt. Ray Sneed, president of the Washington firefighters' union.

``We are waiting patiently for Chief Few to come and take control of this department,'' Lt. Sneed said. ``We're just hurting for leadership.''

Concerns about Chief Few's experience and allegations and investigations surrounding the Richmond County Fire Department seemed to have subsided, Lt. Sneed said.

``Production is what people are looking for,'' he said.

Chief Few will have to be confirmed by both the city council and its judiciary committee in the coming months. No date for the initial judiciary committee meeting has been set.

``I think they're reasonable people, and if they're reasonable people then I'm fine,'' Chief Few said. ``As long as they give me the opportunity to show them the change, then I'll be fine.''

Reach Mark Mathis at (706) 823-3227 or marmathis@yahoo.com.