Firefighters in Forsyth County are likely feeling safer after several personal vehicles were targeted in burglaries earlier this year.
Commissioners voted this week to authorize $300,000 in security improvements at 13 stations, Division Chief Jason Shivers said.
The action is obviously welcome by firefighters.
“It’s become almost a trend to prey on firefighters,” Shivers told Channel 2 Action News.
“It was a tough pill to swallow.”
In January, several vehicles belonging to firefighters and medical technicians were targeted at one station, with guns stolen.
Four other stations were hit later that month, and in March, three more stations were victimized, Channel 2 reported. Six guns were taken from personal vehicles in the March incidents.
No security cameras were in place at the time, so firefighters urged county leaders to do something.
They did,, and commissioners are scheduled to formalize the funding next week.
Planned improvements include standalone cameras ($77,000), outside lighting upgrades at 11 stations ($39,000) and access cards at 11 stations ( $33,000).
“The firefighters are very much appreciative to the Board of Commissioners for this matter,” Shivers told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “They have been working diligently with staff to identify the needs and ensure that we have the funding available.”
Shivers also thanked the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office for their efforts to solve the crimes.
“They took those break-ins as personally as we did,” he said.
Elisha Ross, 22, and Ayana Forest, 25, of Gwinnett County were arrested in connection with these and other incidents in multiple metro Atlanta jurisdictions.
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