Augusta takes step to hire full time EMA Director

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – There can be big time disaster emergencies in Augusta, but an emergency management director is not a full-time position for the city.

“I think lessons learned from Hurricane Helene, we desperately need it as we try to recover our city as we try to prepare from the next storm,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.  

The consolidation bill gives the mayor the authority to name an EMA director.

But for the last 20 years, the mayors have called on the fire chief to pull double duty while getting supplement pay.

But at the Mayor Johnson’s request, commissioners have approved beginning the process to hire a full time EMA director.

“You want to make sure that when disasters come, we are 100 percent fully prepared,” said Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

“A city our size deserves someone who is full time committed to that role that helps with our storm preparedness,” said Mayor Johnson.

But when commissioners approved this year’s budget in November, funding for a new EMA director was not a part of it.

“You talking about cutting budgets but yet you’re talking about increasing personnel. It comes with a cost,” said Commissioner Tony Lewis.

“It will pay for itself as we go through this recovery for Hurricane Helene, as we try to see out grant opportunities and funding opportunities for reimbursement,” said the Mayor.

For sure the city has not seen its last emergency, now the city is seeking a permanent director to manage it.