1st Responder Interview:  Glynn County’s Chief Carl Johnson “Aggressive ISO Reduction”

July 28, 2002

- The following article as submitted to 1st Responder Newspaper -

A candid conversation with Chief Carl Johnson in a “question and answer on how Glynn County is working to reduce its ISO rating.  A bold attempt to put money back in taxpayer’s pockets by an assertive Fire Department is taking place

Chief Johnson was hired in April 1972 for $360 a month, working 24 hours on duty and 24 hours off duty as a Lt. He was promoted to Capt. In July, 1972, and Deputy Chief in July 1975.  He was promoted to Assistant Chief in January 1991 and became chief of the Glynn County Fire Dept. in January 1992. When he was hired the Glynn County had 2 fire stations and 13 employees.  Glynn County now has 8 fire stations and over 128 paid employees and over 60 volunteers in two divisions.

Chief Johnson had just given a presentation with video on the need to add additional firefighters in the form of an additional squad to one of Glynn County’s Fire Stations, add additional employees to engine companies, and discuss Glynn County’s water supply with the Glynn County Commissioners.  He, his officers, and firefighters have worked for the last several years at goals, which will improve Glynn County’s Fire protection, affect firefighter safety, but also will also ultimately reduce Glynn County’s ISO rating.  Glynn County has seen over a thirty-two percent increase in run volume since 1998.   The population of Glynn County continues to grow as its population ages and will require additional Fire and EMS protection.  Glynn County has a population of over 72,000 people in a resort community with islands separated by water and connected by causeways.  .     

1^st Responder:  Chief Johnson what are comments concerning your goals for the ISO rating here in Glynn County?

Chief Johnson:  Our goal is to reduce as much as possible, well we are confident we will going as low as a 4/9 in February 2003 when we have our inspection.  We are a 5/9 now.  We want to go actually to a 3/9.  By our estimates we have had a couple of things we have had to do before we call for an inspection.  One of them was the completion of Station 7 and of 8, which was a SPLOST 3 projects.  Another was the completion of the Public Safety Complex and the new enhanced full 911 dispatch with the 800 mhz system.  We will need 6 months operational history which would put us in pretty good shape.  All of our firefighters – office staff, paid and volunteer have worked extremely hard to get their pre-fire plans and hydrant inspections.  We have added additional hydrants and water supply in city and county.  Our hydrant information is up to date.  Additional above ground storage tanks have added in different places.  We have also been testing our hose in a timely manner and keeping the records.  Also we have a full-time training division and we believe in training and we have our training records.  We have a training tower to complete and it will be completed within 4 or 5 months.  That should assure us of a 4/9 but our main goal is to go to a 3/9 in the ISO rating.  The 9 represents areas where there are not any hydrants but in Glynn County those areas are very few unless you are in the very rural areas and they are outside a five-mile range of a fire station.  A majority of our population does have hydrants.  We carry a large amount of water and can carry water with us in our engines tankers if needed as backup.  It has been a real team effort.  All of our personnel have really worked hard to get everything done, to make sure our records are there, are accurate and through.  I am very confident we will be successful.

1^st Responder:  The Glynn County Fire Department has been very progressive and aggressive in these attempts to reduce the ISO rating.  A lot of people may not understand the ISO, the insurance rating and how it works.   We know that insurance companies charge the taxpayers their insurance premiums based on this rating.  What will they be looking at in order to evaluate our rating?

Chief Johnson:  Communications is one of them.  You can get 10 points, we received 9.5 last time and we feel like we will get 9.5 points this time.  Forty percent goes to water and fifty percent goes to the fire department.  There is 9 points given for training and there are different points broken out for the number of engines and stations and coverage you have. We have met with inspectors and asked them for the best locations for stations based upon the amount of growth we have had.  We have spent numerous hours with the ISO in discussion about what we needed.  Manpower was an issue but we have taken steps to improve the manpower situation.  We are placing another squad in service this year provided the budget passes and we expect it will without any problem.  We are providing additional manpower for Engine 11 per shift, which will count toward points.  We have added two squads and manpower on Engine 1, Engine 4, and Engine 2. since our last inspection.  We have reserve apparatus, which we didn’t have before, we have all of our equipment on our trucks, all people are receiving proper training and records are up to date. These include night drills, multi-company training, driver training, new recruit training and all other types of training which is quite extensive.  That would mean we have added or will be adding over 35 employees in these last few years, over a 30% increase in manpower.

1^st Responder:  The Glynn County Fire Department has hired a lot of new employees.  Was it purely for the ISO?  Are we thinking in terms of the Glynn County Tax Payer?

Chief Johnson:  We have hired for a three-fold reason.  First, it is for the safety of our firefighters so we need more personnel on our fire apparatus to do the best job.  Number two is the safety of our citizens, making sure they get an adequate response.  Number three is for the ISO and reducing taxpayer burden with a lower rating.  I also want to commend our unpaid-our volunteers.  They have put their training hours in, they have kept records, and we have logged in their numbers on their responses and calls.  They help make this work.

1^st Responder:  A lot of people in Georgia are looking at Glynn County as a premier fire department.  Glynn County has been known for having a fantastic Fire Education program.  In the last few years we have had pretty good public relations in the state.  Recently we have seen an unofficial web site started by Vol. Chief Joe Combs. (www.glynncountyfiredept.org) I have seen the site, it is still under construction and it certainly appears to rival most sites I have seen in the country.  I know this has brought a great since of pride to you.  Could you elaborate a little about this and your feeling of achievement during the last 10 years?

Chief Johnson:  I think bringing this department to make this department a team effort.  This is not an “I” department, it is not “my” department it is “our” department.  I want everyone to be apart of it.  I feel like everyone has worked real hard together as a team both paid and volunteer, pulling together to reach our goal of reducing our ISO rating for our taxpayers.  I feel that our Education Department does a very good job.  We have been recognized by the State of Georgia by having the Fire Educator of the Year.  We don’t get any ISO credit for Fire Education, which I feel is wrong.  I feel that Fire Education should be included.  We have a proactive department.  We have a lot of dedicated firefighters out there taking their days off making Glynn County be a safer place to live and I would like to thank all the firefighters out there who strive to make this county and all of Georgia a safer place to live.

1^st Responder:  Chief, what are your goals for the next few years or where do you think the polish needs to go to improve this department to make its light shine even brighter?

Chief Johnson:  My goal is to complete this ISO inspection, complete or rebuild a new Station 2.  After we do that see where we are and go from there.  Look at where we are.  There is always room for improvement.  We will continue to make sure we have modern safe equipment.  We will continue to be proactive with fire safety education.  I would like to see more injury prevention in our EMS division.  We have one of the best EMS services in the country.  My goal is not to have a fire.  I know that it is probably not obtainable but it is one I would like to see.  We will continue to strive for more community awareness of things, which causes injury and prevention of such injuries.

1^st Responder:  As we start to end this interview, Chief do you think 9-11 has changed the department any?

Chief Johnson:  I think 9-11 has put more light on the firefighters of the United States and this department.  We have always had a good department with good personnel and firefighters.  The main thing is the job firefighters do every day.  It is ashamed that a tragedy has to happen to show the citizens of America to make the citizens aware of the job that firefighters do every day.  The firefighter will go in places where no one else will go and they will do it knowing the risk.