Another Bad January for DeKalb County Fire

January 2010 was a very difficult month for Dekalb County Fire Rescue, and it appears that January 2011 is shaping up to bring problems of a different sort.

Recall on January 24, 2010,a fire at 1687 Houghton Court North in Dunwoody claimed the life of Ann Bartlett. Crews dispatched to the house hours earlier failed to fully investigate the initial call. Bartlett's death prompted a very public investigation, leading to the forced resignation of the fire chief, disciplinary actions against five firefighters, and a civil lawsuit.

Now January 2011 brings allegations of a different sort. Four off-duty firefighters are alleged to have gone to Fire Station 24 after going out drinking last Tuesday night. The four were scheduled to be on duty Wednesday morning at 0700, and opted to sleep at the station rather than drive home on icy roads and then drive back to the fire station for 0700. The allegations include the fact that the firefighters brought alcohol with them to the station, and that two of them were intoxicated at roll call Wednesday morning. Allegations have also been made that two chief officers were somehow involved.

While the media covering this story seem to have sensationalized every aspect of what occurred, off duty personnel bunking in to avoid icy roads or an unnecessary commute is hardly newsworthy. Bringing alcohol into the station and being intoxicated at shift change are certainly serious disciplinary matters, but again, hardly headline newsworthy – let alone worthy of making national news. What is going on in DeKalb County? There has to be more going on than meets the eye.

Here's a link to a video on the story.