The Atlanta City Council approved legislation put forth by the Dickens Administration for $4.7 million in funding for the acquisition of additional equipment for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD), the city announced Tuesday in a press release.
AFRD will acquire three Spartan Fire Pumpers and three Spartan Tractor Drawn Aerial Support vehicles.
“As Atlanta continues to grow, so does the need for additional capacity to effectively respond to emergency situations,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “The expansion of our AFRD fleet will help decrease response times, increase our readiness and improve the overall safety of our communities. Thank you to City Council for their assistance in building One Safe City.”
In 2021, the city council approved legislation in support of the city’s plan to acquire additional apparatus after AFRD and the Office of Fleet Services established specific vehicles are required to guarantee the Department will continually provide emergency services and meet the needs in Atlanta.
“This equipment is vital for the advancement of AFRD,” said AFRD Chief Rod Smith. “Over the last several months, I have spoken in depth with City administration about how the Atlanta Fire Department is operating diligently to serve our communities. I thank Mayor Dickens and the City Council for their willingness and continued support to preserve the best-in-class service to the citizens and property of the City of Atlanta, together.”
Mayor Dickens previously announced a pay increase to recruit and retain Atlanta Firefighters.
Tuesday’s announcement will be in conjunction with the city’s $92.4 million investment in public safety, including $69.3 million for fire station renovations throughout the city.
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