Fire & Emergency Services

The Business Services Division provides a variety of services to both internal and external customers. The division is comprised of three operating sections and oversees the preparation and management of the department's annual budget and the SPLOST Capital Improvement Program. Logistics is composed of both warehouse and apparatus management. Personnel in this section are responsible for specifications for department apparatus, routine and emergency repairs of the self-contained breathing apparatus, and for warehousing of goods and providing services for all stations and offices.  Finance focuses on making decisions involving the department's budget, including the allocation of resources, collection of fees for EMS transport, the processing of orders, and payment to vendors.  Facilities oversees the construction of new fire stations and conducts both major and minor building repairs.

The Community Risk Reduction Division is responsible for fire investigations, fire inspections, fire code enforcement, and fire investigations within the County. This division also investigates citizen complaints regarding fire and life safety hazards and enforces compliance with state and County burning regulations. Prevention and Enforcement is responsible for fire code inspections, new construction inspections, compliance inspections, and high-risk occupancies. The Education section handles all public education, including fire and life safety courses, CPR and first aid, and station tours. This section also coordinates partnerships with communities and businesses to further the goals of reducing risk in the community. Fire Investigations is responsible for investigating all arson cases during and after fires. All fire investigators are certified Fire/Arson Investigators as well as certified Peace Officers.

The Employee Support and Initiatives Division concentrates on supporting the department's mission, vision, and values by focusing internally on employees and reaching out to the community as well. The division's three sections coordinate a wide variety of functions. The Employee Support section is accountable for all human resource functions including payroll, employee records, and employment. This section also coordinates special events and employee recognition. Strategic Planning and Management is responsible for the department's statistics and databases, including GIS functions and all fire- and EMS-related data. The Projects and Initiatives section manages department and community initiatives, projects, and reports. This section is also responsible for marketing functions for the department, including newsletters, website maintenance, and multimedia presentations.

The Operations Division coordinates, staffs, and commands the department's response to over 65,000 annual calls. There are five major aspects of this division: the Fire Academy, Special Operations, Safety, Public Information, and Field Operations. All emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and engines, are staffed with personnel who are trained to assist with both fire and medical emergencies. Vehicles are also staffed with paramedics, in addition to EMTs, in order to provide the highest level of medical assistance.

Departmental Staffing:
2010 Authorized Strength:  846

Operating Budget:
2010 Budget Appropriations
General Fund: $ 75,957,552

The department's strategic objective is to provide fire and medical response to the citizens of Gwinnett County. This will be accomplished by strategic placement of fire stations, apparatus, personnel, and equipment so that response to fires and medical emergencies can be accomplished in 5.5 minutes 90 percent of the time.