Emergencies 911 Administration 706-613-3360 Other Numbers Emergency Management: 706-613-3410 Fire Marshal: 706-613-3363 Fire Prevention: 706-613-3365 Administration Hours 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Director Chief Iby George  Administration / Station #1 700 College Avenue Location Map Mailing Address P.O. Box 1868 Athens, GA 30603 Stations #1 - 700 College Avenue   Location Map #2 - 3500 Atlanta Highway Location Map  #3 - 1198 S. Milledge Ave. Location Map  #4 - 900 Oglethorpe Ave. Location Map  #5 - 1099 Whit Davis Road Location Map  #6 - 580 Athena Drive Location Map  #7 - 2350 Barnett Shoals Road Location Map  #8 - 3955 Jefferson Road Location Map #9 - 1650 Dainelsville Road Location Map Fire Training Center 155 Paradise Blvd. Location Map

new! GEORGIA THEATRE FIRE INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED: No Evidence of Foul Play Discovered

The Athens-Clarke County Fire & Emergency Services Department along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office - have concluded the fire investigation at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia. The fire occurred on Friday, June 19, 2009. Following suppression efforts, the incident resulted in the response from Athens-Clarke County Fire Marshal investigators, Athens Clarke-County Police Department detectives, Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office investigators, special agents of ATF’s Atlanta Field Division and members of ATF’s National Response Team (NRT).

Chief Iby George, of the Athens-Clarke County Fire & Emergency Services Department, said, "The cultural significance of the Georgia Theatre and the resulting impact that this fire has had on our community was not lost on its public servants.  All concerned parties can be assured that each and every available resource has been employed to investigate this tragic loss."

Chief George expressed his appreciation for the multi-agency effort that was displayed over the past week and to owner Wilmot Greene for his cooperation throughout the investigation.

Dondi Albritton, special agent in charge of the ATF NRT deployment, advised that the investigation to date has uncovered no indication of foul play or criminal activity that may have contributed to the cause of the fire.

Albritton said, "The investigation to date has uncovered no indication of foul play or criminal activity that may have contributed to the cause of the fire.  It is the opinion of all investigators that the area of origin of the fire is the dressing room and storage closet located in the northwest corner of the structure. Due to the extensive fire and water damage in this area, all possible accidental ignition sources could not, at this time, be eliminated as the cause of the fire. The official determination of the cause of the fire at this time will be ‘undetermined.’”

SAC Albritton and Chief George noted that a finding of undetermined does not mean that a fire investigation is closed. If information is developed in the future to indicate or warrant further investigation, this initial finding can be changed.

Albritton continued, "The fire fighters, emergency responders and investigators who answered the call are to be commended for an outstanding job. This region continues to demonstrate the highest level of dedication and performance in their public service commitments." 

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program helps train citizens to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their day-to-day life and when joined together with other likewise prepared people, in and around their communities. Call 706-353-1645 for details or visit http://eastgeorgia.redcross.org/CERT/

Athens-Clarke County ordinance prohibits most open burns. For more information, check out our online ordinances or call the Fire Marshal's office.

The Fire Department sponsors Explorer Post #757. The Explorer program is for young men and women between the ages of 14 and 20 and designed to allow them to gain practical knowledge of and experience in a career while taking on leadership roles and learning and growing in a supportive, caring, and enjoyable environment. For more information, call 706-613-3383.

Fire & Emergency Services Department

Mission Statement
The Athens-Clarke County Fire & Emergency Services, is a progressive and responsive department dedicated to the preservation of life and property through prevention, education, mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery programs.

Project Safe Place
In August of 2000, the Athens Regional

Attention Home and the Athens-Clarke County Fire Department formed a partnership to make sure that children don't feel they have to stay in a bad situation. The Fire Department has agreed to allow all seven of its fire stations to become safe place sites.

Project Safe Place is a national program that was started in 1982 in Louisville, Kentucky. The purpose of the program is to assure that kids who are homeless, runaway, or in a crisis situation can get the help they need. Any business depicting the safe place symbol below is a safe place site. A youth can enter and tell the employee that they need help. That employee will call the local youth shelter and a trained volunteer will come out to meet that young person.

If anyone would like to become a volunteer for the Safe Place program please call 548-5893 and ask for Tammy Ford.