News 12 First at Five / Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tuesday was the first full day on the job for Fire Chief Christopher James.

He kicked the day off with a ribbon cutting and calls for a new plan of action.

"To be able to serve your community at this level, it is just a true honor," James said.

The 25-year veteran says he first came to work for the department at Engine Company 10. As fate would have it, the new Station 10 opened on his first full day as chief.

"We are going to go to work," he said.

James has drafted a new strategic plan that calls for things like media briefings.

"The fire department is the citizens' department," he said. "They need to know what we are doing."

The plan also calls for increased training and yearly physicals for firefighters.

"Are you going to hold yourself to that same standard?" we asked Chief James.

"Yes I will," James replied. "I [went to] the downtown Family Y this morning."

Instead of pulling double duty as fire chief and EMA director, James says he wants a new emergency management division under his office.

"I have never understood why the EMA director was a political appointment by the mayor," said Mayor Deke Copenhaver. "I'm saying let's do it."

The mayor suggests the current system is misguided.

"It put the EMA director with no resources under the mayor's office," Copenhaver said. "That just doesn't make sense ... it never has. To fold it into the fire department, that makes sense to me."

The mayor and the chief both say it is worth the expense.

"Public safety comes first," James said. "If a big disaster was to come through, we have to be prepared for that."

The new fire station comes with a $1.5 million price tag. SPLOST money covered the expense.