By Jamie Thompson
FireRescue1 Editor

Photo Jamie Thompson Kelvin Cochran

DENVER — With a huge budget deficit, these are trying times for the city of Atlanta — and in turn the city's fire department.

The cuts made by the city to plug a $13 million-plus shortfall have included the closure of Atlanta's oldest fire station.

But like so many chiefs across the country, Atlanta Fire Rescue Chief Kelvin Cochran knows the department must soldier on regardless.

"When a citizen calls 911 and there's an emergency, it's the responsibility of Atlanta Fire Rescue to respond to it," Chief Cochran told a company officer leadership symposium at Fire-Rescue International on Thursday.

"Their expectation does not accommodate for the loss of 13 million dollars. They still expect our fire department to show up with a committed company officer and dedicated firefighters, and expect them to give the best they have to make their situation better."

Chief Cochran referred to the city's financial problems during a speech on how departments can achieve unified and committed firehouses regardless of the diverse backgrounds of members.

He talked about the four different generations of members most departments have within their ranks nowadays. Coupled with the sheer diversity of members, Chief Cochran warned some good fire service traditions face being lost forever if a common ethos is not shared.

"To have unity and camaraderie to the degree we shared 15 years or more years ago is becoming increasingly more difficult," he said.

Chief Cochran served as chief in Shreveport, La., for nearly 10 years before taking the Atlanta position at the start of this year.

Unity and camaraderie are key, he said during the session, to an effective and efficient fire company.

"It starts with the department having a vision for the future, not just words on a sheet of paper but words that describe what the things are … that it's striving for the future" he said.

"It starts with a mission — what is our purpose, why do we show up every single day?"

In addition, values are frequently talked about but rarely turned into reality, according to Chief Cochran.

He said despite the huge differences in the backgrounds — such as religion, race or gender — of members in many departments, you can still achieve unity and camaraderie though the promotion of values.

But the big issue is ensuring departments hire the right kind of people to begin with, Chief Cochran said.

"Our job is to recruit and retain people with values that are consistent with our vision and mission," he said.

"You shouldn't hire people who do not embrace the values that are consistent with them."

Academy training programs, Chief Cochran said, require a structured approach that includes a disciplinary system, a rewards system and "a certain type of order that teaches them to respect officers, teaches them how to dress, teaches them how to clean."