Box 1, Folder 15, Document 19

Box 1, Folder 15, Document 19

G)27

STATEMENT BY CHIEF C, H, HILDEBRAND

Mr. Martin's statement is erroneous and is a clear

design to mislead the public.

The fire call at 2 Broad Street Monday was answered in
minutes. pieces of equipment with

men answered the call.

of the firefighters were new personnel,
but they performed one hundred percent effectively under the
direction of career, first line supervision and alongside loyal

and experienced firemen of many years experience.

The fire was brought under control in minutes
and extinguished in minutes. There was never any
danger of the fire spreading and it was under the complete control

of the Atlanta Fire Department at every moment.

The citizens of Atlanta will not be paniced by false and
inflamatory statements that the city is in grave danger of burning
up because of lack of firefighting personnel. This simply is not

true,

All stations in service, of 32, are adequately
manned and are supervised by the city's most experienced and dedicated
firemen. New men are being employed and trained daily. Since the
walkoff of some 500 firemen on ; we have built the

back
firefighter staff fanixup from to



The public should keep the facts clearly in their minds at

all times.

If there is a reduction in fire protection, it is the result
of former Captain Martin and his followers deserting their posts,
refusing the order of the Fire Chief and the order of the Fulton

Superior Court to return to their jobs,

It was Mr. Martin who refused to accept the city's action
increasing pay and reducing hours January 1, 1966. It was Mr. Martin
who refused to accept Dr. Harrison's recommendations and broke

off negotiations with the Board of Aldermen.

Mr. Martin and many other former employees of the City
Fire Department failed to appear before the Board of Firemasters
to even explain their actions or answer charges of dereliction of duty,
failure to obey the order of the Chief or of the Court. The city had
no further choice. They were fired as called for by the laws of the

City of Atlanta.
Since these men, by their actions, have chosen not to work
for the Atlanta Fire Department, I call on them to refrain from
continued harrassment of normal fire department operations and of
the general public, and allow us to rebuild the Fire Department with
those men who desire to serve their city in this area of

responsibility.