Augusta leaders pleased with progress of new fire chief

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Augusta’s fire chief stepped in front of Augusta Commission Tuesday.

For months, the Augusta Fire Department has been completing a comprehensive assessment of policies and procedures.

Tuesday was the final update.

Before Fire Chief Antonio Burden stepped in at the department, a 2019 survey identified concerns over morale and many others issues within the department.

Addressing those issues has been at the top of Burden’s priorities.

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Through the comprehensive assessment, another survey was completed.

It found only 61 percent of firefighters understand the department policies and procedures.

Ninety-nine percent said the policy needed to be updated.

On Tuesday, Burden announced he’ll be working with Lexi-Pol. It’s a company that assist public safety departments with creating policy.

Commissioners were pleased by Burden’s efforts so far.

“He’s made drastic changes. One thing he really had to address quickly was the policy to make it clear what our men and women could do on the scene, and that’s a life-saving issues,” Commissioner John Clarke said. “I’m very pleased with the policy update so quickly on that matter.”

The Lexi-pol representative said it’ll take six to eight months to create a new policy manual.

Burden is ready to get started right away.

The department will also be adding three battalion chiefs on staff. The chiefs will provide more oversight and direction over firefighters at stations–and at the scene of emergencies.