August 25th, 2021 – 4:30 PM
Rome-Floyd County Fire Department –
The Rome-Floyd County Fire Department Chief, Troy Brock, announces the Fire Service Conference scheduled for September 7 to September 11 has been postponed by the Georgia State Firefighters Association and the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs. Unfortunately, COVID cases have spiked again and both associations decided to postpone for the safety and well-being of all conference attendees. Organizers are hopeful the spike will drop off in the near future and new dates for the conference can be secured.
The Rome Fire Department wishes to thank all the local and corporate sponsors who continue to support the department. Without this local support, endeavors such as this conference would not be possible for the department to promote or host.
Provided below is the official statement from the President of the Georgia State Firefighters Association, David Bullard, and the President of Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs, Charles Wasdin:
“With consideration of numerous factors, we have decided that the prudent choice concerning the upcoming conference in Rome, be postponed. The number of hospitalized COVID patients in Georgia and the number of ICU beds are extremely high, including Northwest Georgia. Having a conference at a peak time in COVID, is not a prudent choice in our opinion. Many agencies are facing staffing shortages and travel restrictions due to COVID. With the registration numbers below normal and recommendations of CDC guidance and our insurer’s recommendation, several factors were weighed in determining the decision to postpone.”
“We do want work with Rome and Floyd County to find a later date to have our conference there. We fully appreciate the work that has been put into the planning of the event, but the safety of our attendees, vendors, and their families is our utmost concern, as we have an obligation for their overall safety. With the reduced attendance and mandatory masking and distancing, the full experience to the attendees that have been planned, will not be met. We hope that we can work together to find a way to work through the postponement to still come to Rome and experience a well-planned and hosted the event.”