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STATEMENT BY CHIEF C. H. HILDEBRAND ATLANTA FIRE DEPARTMENT Friday, September 16, 1966 For Release 11:00 A. M. 1, The City of Atlanta has m operation this morning 25 fully manned Fire Stations. The t\1tal personnel in the department has now risen to 357 -- 313 of these employees performing actual firefighting duties. Sixty-seven new recruits have been assigned to stations for in-service training and duty under the leadership of experienced Firemen and Fire Officers. We are able to maintain an on-duty shift strength average of 175 firefighting personnel because of extended work hours of those Firemen who have remained on the job. Our attempts to recruit new men to rebuild the Fire . Department have been extremely successful. Since Labor Day the City Personnel Department has examined 327 applicants . �Page Two 140 of these have passed the written examination and are being processed for in-service training and firefighting duties immediately. The Personnel Department is making plans to conduct a recruiting campaign thro.u ghout the Southeast and through the employment of new personnel and the extended work hours of our experienced personnel, we should be able to place the r- e,Q.'5l)Nl,.»' E:., remaining unmanned stations in operation within a ve:ry she-rt period of time . . The Personnel Offi ce at 260 C entral Avenue, S. W. is remaining open until 7:30 p. m. Monday through Friday and until noon on Saturdays to receive and process firefighters applications. I am reques ting all the citizens of Atlanta to practice good fire prevention measures in their homes, businesses, churches and schools. A check-off list i s b e ing releas e d to the news media f or self-ins p ection of your premises which, if conscientiously adhe red to, can prevent fir es and pre s erve property. �