2025 Rome-Floyd Fire Dept. Annual Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF

As Fire Chief of the Rome-Floyd Fire Department, I am proud to present this reflection on the Department’s operations and accomplishments during calendar year 2025.

Throughout the year, the men and women of the Rome-Floyd Fire Department remained steadfast in their commitment to protecting life, property, and the environment across the City of Rome and Floyd County. Our personnel responded to thousands of calls for service, ranging from fire suppression and emergency medical responses to technical rescues and hazardous conditions, each call answered with professionalism, skill, and dedication.

The year 2025 presented a variety of operational challenges, including increased call volume, periods of elevated wildfire risk, and the continued need to adapt to a growing and changing community. Despite these demands, our department maintained high standards of response readiness and operational effectiveness, a testament to the training, discipline, and teamwork of our firefighters and officers. Significant emphasis was placed on preparedness and firefighter safety. Investments in equipment, including updated breathing apparatus, thermal imaging cameras, and communications systems, enhanced both operational efficiency and personnel protection. Ongoing training initiatives ensured that our members remained current with best practices and evolving industry standards, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in emergency services.

Staffing and workforce development continued to be a priority in 2025. While retirements created vacancies, the Department successfully recruited new personnel, strengthening our ranks and preparing the organization for the future. The continued interest from the community in serving as firefighters reflects the strong reputation and proud tradition of the Rome-Floyd Fire Department.

The Department also recognized the importance of honoring those who have contributed to its legacy. In 2025, we remembered past leaders and members whose service and leadership helped shape the organization we are today. Their dedication continues to inspire our mission and values. None of the Department’s achievements would be possible without the support of our elected officials, managers, partner agencies, and the citizens we serve. The trust placed in us is a responsibility we take seriously, and it drives our ongoing efforts to improve service delivery, accountability, and community engagement.

As we look ahead to 2026, the Rome-Floyd Fire Department remains focused on strategic growth, continued investment in personnel and equipment, and strengthening our relationship with the community. We are committed to meeting future challenges with the same professionalism and dedication that defined our service in 2025.

It is an honor to serve as Fire Chief, and I the community we protect.

Respectfully,

Troy Brock Fire Chief Rome-Floyd Fire Department

ROME-FLOYD FIRE DEPARTMENT

VISION

The Rome-Floyd Fire Department strives to honor the legacy of the fire service, reduce risks in the community we proudly serve, and strengthen our organization for future generations.

CORE VALUES

HONOR

We remember traditions while embracing today’s best practices.

INTEGRITY

We value the public’s trust and are committed to honest and ethical behavior.

DUTY

We take extreme pride in our profession and strive for excellence.

SAFETY

We ensure the safety of our team as well as those we serve.

COMMAND STAFF

Troy Brock Fire Chief

Bonney Division Chief Operations

Brad Roberson Deputy Chief

Stone Division Chief Community Risk Reduction

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE CHART

ISO RATING AND RESPONSE

Insurance Service Organization (ISO) evaluation is to develop a Public Protection Classification (PPC) for a property insurance rating. The Fire Departments public fire prevention and suppression capabilities for the community are evaluated

The ISO determines community ratings using the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS), which considers four main categories in its scoring model:

· Fire Department (50%)

· Water Supply (40%)

· Emergency Communications Systems (10%)

· Community Risk Reduction (5 5%)

The Maximum PPC score a community can receive from ISO is 105.5. After calculating the score, the ISO assigns a Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating to the community, ranging from 1 to 10. A PPC of 1 signifies a superior rating for the community, while a PPC of 10 indicates that the fire districts are unprotected.

We take pride in providing fire and life safety services for citizens and visitors of the City of Rome and Floyd County. We will continue to maintain and strive for improvement through the following services:

· Fire Suppression

· Emergency Medical Care

· Hazardous Materials

· Technical Rescue

· Community Risk Reduction

SERVICE AREA

-StationLocation

-ResponseArea

STATION INFORMATION

OPERATIONS DIVISION

INCIDENTS & CALLS

Count of Total Incidents

6,906 Fire Calls

461

Total City Incidents: 3,394

Total County Incidents: 3,509

Total Out of County Incidents: 3

6,906

2,814

3,631 STATION CALLS

COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION

The Rome-Floyd Fire Department has established a Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Division, which encompasses the Fire Marshal’s Office, Training Office, and Fire and Life Safety Education. This Division promotes a proactive mindset focused on reducing risks throughout our community.

The Rome-Floyd Fire Department is committed to implementing a comprehensive CRR initiative to make our community safer. Community Risk Reduction is a strategic process that identifies and prioritizes local risks, followed by the integrated investment of resources—both emergency response and prevention to reduce their occurrence and impact. Our department will follow the guidance of NFPA 1300: Standard on Community Risk Assessment and Community Risk Reduction Plan Development, along with the 5 E’s of CRR (Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency Response, and Economic Incentives) to develop a robust Community Risk Reduction Plan. We are enthusiastic about identifying all possible ways to reduce hazards in our community. As we develop this plan, we will engage both internal and external stakeholders to ensure risks are properly identified and addressed Our goal is to create a safer community where residents can live, work, and play with confidence.

FIRE & LIFE SAFETY EDUCATION

COMMUNITY EVENTS

FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE

The Fire Marshal’s Office conducted Fire and Life Safety Inspections in accordance with the Georgia State Minimum Standards as adopted by the Rules and Regulations 120-3-3. The Rules and Regulations are adopted by both the City of Rome and Floyd County. The Fire Marshal’s Office consists of the Fire Marshal, Deputy Fire Marshal and four inspectors. Each inspector is assigned a territory in which the inspections are conducted on commercial properties. Fire inspections are performed to increase the prevention of fire, maintain lower insurance rates, and keep our community safe.

During 2025, The Fire Marshal’s Office completed the following inspections:

3,661 Annual/Periodic Inspections

3,794 Total Inspections

80 Fire Alarm Inspections/Acceptance Tests

28 Sprinkler System Acceptance Tests

152 Other Inspections

2025 Plan Review Approvals

Building/Life Safety- 66

Fire Alarms- 17

Sprinkler Systems- 20

Hood/Suppression Systems-8

During 2025, a new code cycle was signed into law by the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office. It was then adopted by the City of Rome and Floyd County as the new minimum standards for fire and life safety. The Rules and Regulations 120-3-3 are updated with amended requirements and standards for both NFPA and the ICC Codes

FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE

The Fire Marshal’s Office investigates structure fires, vehicles fires, grass/woodland fires, burn injuries and fatalities. Investigations are in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 921 and 1033. Fires are investigated for origin and cause which assist insurance companies, and fire educators to help increase awareness in fire prevention During 2025, the Fire Marshal and three fire investigators investigated the following fires:

Structure Fires:

Vehicle Fires:

Burn Victims:

Fatality:

Other:

The fire investigation determinations were:

25 fires were undetermined due to being unable to rule out multiple sources of ignition

44 fires were ruled accidental

11 incendiary

1 natural event due to a lightning strike

1 open investigations

RECRUIT CLASS 55

PROMOTIONS IN 2025

CAPTAIN

SERGEANT

Deputy Fire Marshal

RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Corporal Don Bullard and Captain Kirk Rickman on their well‑earned retirements in 2025. Together, they have dedicated 55 years of exceptional service to our department. Their commitment and hard work have made a lasting impact. We wish them both the very best.

Corporal Don Bullard

16 years of service

Captain Kirk Rickman 39 years of service

Coca-Cola

Truett’s Chick-filKroger Fairbanks

Kellogg’s East Rome & West Rome Tr Daniel’s Funeral Ho

Lowe’s SERVPRO Academy Spor Exchange Clu

NEW EQUIPMENT

Squad 2 was added to our fleet of emergency vehicles this year It will be responding from Station 2. The rescue truck is built on the 2023 Dodge Ram 5500 chassis. The cost for this specially equipped vehicle was $348,000 using capital funds.

Brush truck 6, a 2024 Ford F-350 4x4 was purchased with $165,000 of SPLOST funds. It is equipped with a 200 gallon water tank and other equipment to extinguish fires off road in rough terrain. This specialized vehicle is located at Station 6.

Fire Marshal’s Office acquired 5 new Ford Rangers for our inspectors. These were purchased with capital funds for a total of $214,470.00.

Thermal imaging cameras enhance victim rescue, fire location identification, and situational awareness, allowing firefighters to quickly locate trapped individuals and hidden hot spots. These improvements reduce firefighter risk, minimize property loss, and lower liability exposure. They also help prevent injuries and reduce operational costs by preventing rekindles and improving efficiency. We purchased 17 cameras using capital funds for a total of $141,950.00.

NEW EQUIPMENT

Engine 1 underwent a comprehensive refurbishment. This upgrade encompassed enhancements to the pump, electrical systems, lighting, interior spaces, paint, and compartments, alongside necessary repairs. Additionally, new equipment and hoses were provided for the truck. The total expenditure for this project amounted to $349,000 charged to the capital funds.

A drone was purchased with a thermal imaging camera. This allows the pilot to locate hotspots, the ability to assess fire damage instantly, and locate missing persons. This will enable our firefighters to make faster, safer decisions to protect our community more effectively. This was purchased using operating budget totaling $11,849.00.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2025

Station 2 underwent an extensive renovation. Kitchen cabinets, flooring, ceiling tiles, all new sinks and shower stalls were installed, along with an upgraded radio dispatch system. This was funded from our capital budget for $99,500.

BEFORE AFTER