Fire and Emergency Services FAQs
- How can I make a monetary donation? Information on how you can make a tax deductible donation to support the fire and life safety and injury prevention initiatives of Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services is available on the donations page. Your contribution will be used to enhance the overall fire and life safety programs provided free to the community. Together we can help make Gwinnett County a safer place to live, work, and play for all residents.
- Whom do I call with a non-emergency question? General information can be reached at 678.518.4800, Education at 678.518.4850, and Fire Prevention and Life Safety at 678.518.4980.
- How do I get a copy of a fire or medic report? Call 678.518.4950. All medic reports must have a consent release signed prior to obtaining the report. Usually, reports can be made available within 24 hours after your request.
- Why does the fire engine go out on medical calls? To maximize the efficient use of personnel and resources for quality, effective patient care on all emergency scenes, the department uses a dynamic tiered response system. Depending on the type of medical call and availability of units, our 911 Communications will send the closest available medic unit and/or fire engine to respond. Engine and medic unit personnel are dispatched together for serious, life-threatening emergencies i.e., cardiac arrest, trauma, not breathing, that require more resources for a successful outcome.
- Can a patient choose the hospital he or she wants to go to? If it is a non-critical situation, yes. If it is a critical situation, Med Unit personnel may choose to transport to the closest or most appropriate hospital.
- How much does the County charge for people transported by a Med Unit to the hospital? The transport fee is a flat rate of $975 plus an additional $15 per mile. Property taxes fund the majority of the services provided by the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Customers (residents/business owners/visitors) do not receive a bill for any direct service provided by the department except for transport by ambulance. Even if an ambulance is part of the emergency response and provides advanced care at the scene, the patient will not be billed unless they are transported to the emergency room. The County has always billed for transport as a usage fee, which offsets some of the taxpayer costs to provide countywide emergency medical services. The department recovers revenue annually from transport fees. If there were not a user transport fee, that revenue would need to made up through increased property taxes.
- Who do I call if my child is playing with fire? Depending on the seriousness of the situation (curiosity vs. history of starting fires), you can call either the Education Section at 678.518.4845 or the Investigations Section at 678.518.4890.
- Who do I call if I think a building is a fire hazard? Our Fire Prevention Office will answer your questions at 678.518.4980.
- Does Gwinnett County allow outdoor burning? Yes, outdoor burning of yard waste is allowed from October 1 to April 30. Individuals should check to determine if it is a burn day by calling 678-518-4979 or by going to https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/Departments/FireandEmergencyServices/OutdoorBurningInformation.
Outdoor Burning is not allowed on Sundays, after dark or within certain city limits.
- Can the public schedule a birthday party at the station? No. We discourage the public from having parties at the stations (for safety and security reasons) and encourage them to incorporate a tour of the station with their private party at home.
- What is ISO and my fire insurance rating? The Insurance Services Offices, Inc. (ISO) rates jurisdictions on factors related to fire coverage that include water supply, dispatch procedures, and fire resources. Our current rating for most of the County is a 2/2X. Read more about verification and the ISO rating (PDF). However, if a structure is more than five road miles from a fire station, the insurance company will rate the property as a 10, meaning no fire protection.
- Does your Department use volunteers? All firefighter/EMT and paramedic positions are full-time paid employees. Citizens having graduated from the 8-week Citizen Fire Academy program are utilized as volunteers for administrative activities and special events.
- Where is the nearest fire station? Call 678.518.4800.
- Where is the nearest fire hydrant? New hydrants are installed throughout the year. You will need to drive your neighborhood and determine the location of your closest hydrant.
- How do I dispose of medical syringes/sharps/hypodermic needles for which I take medication for at home? Please visit the Solid Waste Management Division’s Frequently Asked Questions web page for the proper way of how to dispose of in-home medical waste..
- Who do I contact for underground utility location services? Call 811 at least two days before digging. It is a free and easy call that connects individuals to a local call center that gathers information about the planned digging project and notifies public utilities in the area. Professional technicians are then dispatched to mark the location of all underground lines with paint or flags before any digging begins.
- The Gwinnett Professional Firefighters Association, Local 3419 of the International Association of Firefighters, has solicited me for donations. Do these funds directly benefit Gwinnett Fire & Emergency Services? No. This legitimate organization solicits funds to locally endorse politicians, aid in lobbying efforts to pass collective bargaining laws in Georgia, assist the Union in legal issues, as well as perform firefighter safety research, improve firefighter benefits, and improve pension laws on the national level. While it is your decision to help these efforts, Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services does not directly benefit from your donation and is in no way affiliated with or support the activities of this organization. It should also be noted that any legitimate organization that uses a professional telemarketing service has to pay a very high percentage of the solicitation proceeds to the telemarketing firm.
