The man hired to run Palmetto’s fire department may be new to citizens and to the city’s new department, but he is not new to firefighting. Fire Chief Henry Argo comes with 30 years experience in firefighting under his belt.

Argo has worked in Gwinnett County, Fayetteville, College Park, Rockdale County and at the state firefighter’s training center. His entree to Palmetto comes as the city is getting set to open its own department after opting out of its long-time coverage by Fulton County. At a cost of several hundred thousand dollars per year that would have to be paid to Fulton, the city decided to go it on its own, much like Fairburn did in 2006.

Argo began work two weeks ago and began sifting through 50 firefighter applications that have come in from around metro Atlanta and Georgia. He expects to have the current contingent of 12 firefighters hired in time for the Palmetto Fire Department to take over from Fulton County on March 31. All the new hires will be firefighters who are Emergency Medical Technicians and paramedics, Argo said.

“Right now I’m focused on ensuring that we have people and resources in place to make a smooth transition,” he said. “We will have four firefighters per shift and will be able to offer advanced life support 24/7.”

Argo said he is ecstatic about coming to Palmetto and about the future of the city and the department. Argo said his home in Rockdale County is on the market and he and his wife, who is employed in Fayette County, plan to move to the area.

Argo’s experience began in 1977 in Gwinnett County, where he spent 12 years in positions such as training officer, public information officer and executive assistant to the fire chief. Argo left Gwinnett in 1989 with the rank of lieutenant.

Argo was hired as fire chief in Fayetteville in 1989 and remained there until taking the position as deputy chief in College Park in 1997. Argo was later promoted to chief in College Park, remaining there until 2004, when he was hired as fire chief in Rockdale County. Argo’s career continued in 2006 when he was hired as section chief-fire manager at the state fire association.

login to post comments