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DeKalb County approves use of soon-to-be-demolished storefront for fire-rescue training
Summary
The Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee approved an agreement allowing fire-rescue personnel to use a soon-to-be-demolished one-story commercial storefront for realistic hands-on training at no cost to the county, after legal staff said properties are typically vacated and owners sign liability documentation.
DeKalb County’s Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee voted to allow fire-rescue personnel to use a soon-to-be-demolished commercial storefront for training exercises, approving agenda item 2026-0563 by voice vote.
Chief Carter told the committee the training would use a one-story commercial storefront at addresses referred to in the item (including 3211 Glennwood Road and 1816 Candler Road) to run realistic scenarios such as forced entry and ventilation drills. “This item is to property that’s going to be soon demolished… it gives us some real life practical scenarios,” Chief Carter said.
The item drew procedural questions from Commissioner Nicole Messiah, who asked about prior uses of the property and whether the county had provided sufficient notice to property owners and new owners given a contract listed between “VSI Decar LLC, a Georgia limited liability company, and DeKalb County.” Deputy County Attorney Welch responded that these agreements have been used previously, that properties are typically vacated before training, and that property owners sign documentation limiting liability. Welch said staff would work with operations, the chief, and county leaders to “cover exposure to the county and all the proper contractual things and reviews to try to limit any exposure the county could face.”
Committee members also discussed the proper listing of commission districts for the item and offered a friendly amendment to update the item’s district language to reflect the property’s east-side location and include District 7. A commissioner moved to approve the item, another seconded, and the motion carried by voice vote.
The committee’s action authorizes the training agreement; staff were directed to complete contract and insurance reviews with county attorneys and operations before using the site. The vote was taken by voice and the transcript does not record individual roll-call tallies.
Provenance: discussion and approval appear in the transcript beginning at SEG 024 and extending through SEG 231.
