The True Citizen
P.O.Box 948
Waynesboro, GA 30830
(706) 554-2111
4/17/02
It's
Redbreast Festival Time
This Saturday
The True Citizen Editor
The all-day event which starts at 6 a.m. with a fishing tournament, will climax that night with a concert by The Swingin' Medallions. The opening act for the 7 p.m. concert will be a return of the Ogeechee River Band. Gates for the concert will open at 6:30 p.m. with show time 30 minutes later. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the gate. In case of rain, there will be no refunds on the tickets, sponsors said.
This year's event will have a special guest, a real live National football League defensive lineman. It will be Kevin Henry who plays for the Pittsburg Steelers.
Festival officials said Henry will be in Midville courtesy of the Georgia Aquaculture Association and the Georgia Aquaculture Development Commission. He plans to be available for autographs and pictures.
The actual kickoff event for the festival will be Friday at 4 p.m. when the annual festival softball tournament will be held at the Midville Recreation complex. The finals will be played on Saturday night beginning at 6 p.m. The arts and crafts exhibits and fair rides will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Entrance onto the festival grounds will be $2 for adults and children under 12 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Advanced tickets for the concert are on sale at First National Bank & Trust Co., locations in Martinez, Louisville, Midville, Millen, Sandersville, States-boro, Thomson, Swainsboro, Sylvania, Wadley, Waynesboro, Wrens and the Burke County Chamber of Commerce office in Waynesboro. Those attending the concert are urged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. Coolers are permitted but no glass containers are allowed, festival sponsors said.
Festival sponsors said there will be games, arts and crafts and other activities for all ages all day long.
Another popular event is the car, truck and motorcycle show which will run from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Various groups from the area will be providing entertainment throughout the day.
The fish fry concession, manned by members of the Burke County Chamber of Commerce, always a favorite of festival goers, will be in operation between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
For the early risers, the fishing tournament begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. The angler who catches the biggest fish will receive a cash prize of $500 as top prize
A festival official said this week that all participants in the fishing tournament must register at the festival headquarters in downtown Midville Saturday morning prior to the tournament starting. This is a major change, she said. Before participants could register at several sites on the river but it has been changed this year..
(See Rest of Story in The True Citizen)
Lack
Of Manpower Closes Fire Stations
This Past Weekend
This Past Weekend
The True Citizen Editor
This could be said of what occurred in Burke County
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However, the chief said the devastating fire that swept through several buildings at Edmund Burke Academy early Sunday morning was handled by those on duty, although the Waynesboro Fire Department was called in to provide mutual aid. They sent three engines and seven personnel to assist Burke in bringing the fire under control and putting it out. Porterfield said this was the first time in the 15-year history of the county fire department that he had to request mutual aid from Waynesboro. "We have provided them aid several times but this is our first to ask for help," he added. Getting back to the old adage about the horse, you can pay all the overtime you want but one day there's not going to be anyone available to work, and this is what occurred last Saturday on the 24-hour shift beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday and ending at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Of the 33 positions that should have been manned for the 12 stations only 20 people reported for work causing the duty chief, in this case Battalion Chief Kerry Mallard to shut down the operations of three stations. He called Burke County Administrator Merv Waldrop to advise him of the situation.
The stations out of service were Engine Co. 2, located on Spring Branch Church Road; Engine Co. 8, located between Waynesboro and Midville; and Engine Co. 9, located on Alexander-Munnerlyn Road.
Besides these stations being closed, Porterfield said five ambulances were out of service because there were no EMS personnel to man them.
What happened this past weekend was predicted by Porterfield more than 18 months ago. He told the county commission in August of 2000 that because of unfilled slots (24 at that time), unless personnel work on overtime and more people apply for openings, "Closing down of stations is no longer a possibility but a reality." Porterfield said Monday he has 48 vacant positions and has a class of 14 people who are expected to complete the courses in June. Then they will have to take state tests to become certified EMS officers.
When the shift went on duty last Saturday morning, April 13, for their 24-hour watch, two officers were listed as on vacation and two called in sick. The shift that did work included six officers already working overtime including Mallard, the duty chief. Porterfield said he has closed down one or two stations recently for short periods of time until they could get someone to come in and work. But last Saturday, "There just wasn't anyone willing to pull more overtime, " he said. When the fire was reported about 6 a.m. Sunday, three county engine companies were sent immediately to the Highway 56 school, and upon arrival the duty chief requested other units to respond. A few minutes after arriving on the scene he requested Waynesboro to respond. While they sent three engines and seven men, they did not put their equipment into operation but provided much needed manpower for the EMA units, according to deputy chief Robert Parrish of the city fire department. When assistant chief Rusty Sanders of the EMA arrived at headquarters after being alerted to the situation, he immediately begin to utilize personnel reporting for duty at 7 a.m. in order to adequately cover the county. At the same time he started rotating firemen at the scene of the fire in order to give them rest and get something to eat. Several engine companies were called to the scene from other stations to stand by at the fire. They remained ready to respond to other calls if needed.
"Our people did a good job despite the shortage," Porterfield said, adding, "The county has got to do something for us to fill these positions or we will face another situation like this again . and it won't be long." On Monday Porterfield said all stations were manned but two ambulances remained out of service because of the lack of personnel to man them. Yesterday, (Tuesday) all stations were fully manned (because 14 of the officers were either part-timers or were working overtime) and all equipment was operational.
Ironically, the chairman of the county commission's EMA committee is Wayne Crockett, who also is president of the school's board of trustees. His committee is in the midst of trying to come up with financial solutions that possibly could help relieve some of the EMA shortages but nothing final has been recommended. The committee will meet today, (Wednesday) in a meeting already scheduled earlier to continue discussing pay for the EMA and other county departments.
Crockett had nothing but praise for the work of the county fire department and the personnel from the Waynesboro department. "All of them did an exceptional job, and I, for one, appreciate what they did to save our building and keep the damage down like they did."
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Organ of Burke County, Waynesboro, Sardis, Midville, Keysville, and Girard
