Published March 6, 2008

Commissioner says new fire fighters will be hired

within two months

A 25-year veteran, now retired from the Atlanta Fire Department, was hired Wednesday as Fire Chief for Pickens County.
During his career in the Atlanta Fire Department, Robert Howard served on several committees, working as Fire Captain/Paramedic Supervisor over seven paramedic engines and 24 basic engines at one point.
Howard, a Ball Ground resident for 20 years, had worked as a Pickens County EMT and paramedic since 2004.
In a prepared statement, Howard said, “With the help of our community volunteer fire departments and the men and women that unselfishly dedicate their lives to the well-being of their neighbors, I will strive to provide the best fire protection, rescue and community service available and at the same time moving in a direction of Fire/Rescue Department growth that allows Pickens County to keep up with the needs of an ever growing population and industry. As your Fire Chief, you can expect loyalty, accountability, professionalism, team playing, and a community servant. I look forward to serving Pickens County.”
Howard said although he was working with Pickens EMS, he had gotten “homesick” for fire service. Based on his preliminary discussions with the commissioner and several volunteer fire chiefs, Howard said he had seen no surprises with the job or the condition of the fire service here.
“I was very happy to find out from state records that all our fire departments here are in compliance,” he said.
In announcing the hiring of Howard, Commissioner Rob Jones said he had been impressed by his resume as well as his character and demeanor.
“He’s got a lot of experience under his belt, and he is a very likeable individual,” Jones said.
Jones said he had interviewed seven people for the $46,000 per year job. “There were other candidates who were suited for the job, but Howard brings a lot to the table,” he said.
Howard will be the second fire chief in the county’s history. The first, Bob Winston, resigned after a year in office, citing job frustration.
After Winston’s resignation, Public Safety Director Layne Arnold supervised county firefighters. Arnold resigned last month to accept a job south of Pickens in a metro county.
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At that time, Jones eliminated the public safety director position.
Now, Howard, as Fire Chief; Lee Saunders, as head of the 911 center; and Sloan Elrod, head of the EMS service, all report directly to the commissioner.
The county has two full-time firefighters and four part-time firefighters.
As he announced Howard’s hiring, Jones said he will give the new chief two months to get some procedures in place, and then he plans to add five or six new firefighters to the county payroll.
Among a lengthy list of awards and assignments, Howard’s resume shows he worked with the Atlanta Fire Department from 1982 to 2007.
He finished in the top 5 of his recruit class.
He is certified as both a firefighter and EMT.
He served on the Atlanta Fire Department’s Olympic Games Committee and from 1992 to 1996 as the equipment advisor to the department’s Fire Chief.
In 2004, Howard was reassigned as EMS supervisor at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. While there he developed and implemented the Mass Casualty Operations Plan for the airport.
In 2006, he received Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin’s Phoenix Award for exemplary customer service.
He was a Fire Fighter of the Year Nominee in 1995. He received the Judge Arthur M. Kaplan Lifesaving Award and a Special Achievement Award from the Atlanta City Council.