Fire Rescue

Protecting DeKalb County 24/7

DeKalb County Fire Rescue is a modern, all-hazards organization serving our community around the clock. From 26 strategically located stations, we respond to fires, medical emergencies, and hazardous conditions throughout DeKalb County.

Service Area: Unincorporated DeKalb County and 11 municipalities including Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain, Stonecrest, and Tucker.

Recognition: ISO Class 2 fire department – placing us in the top 3% of fire departments nationwide.

Leadership

Interim Fire Chief Melvin K. Carter

Interim Fire Chief Melvin K. Carter is a 25-year veteran of DeKalb County Fire Rescue, currently serving as Interim Fire Chief, where he provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all aspects of fire suppression, emergency medical services, training, planning, and risk reduction across a county of more than 750,000 residents. In this role, he oversees daily operations, fiscal stewardship, personnel readiness, and organizational initiatives to ensure the delivery of high quality emergency services to the community.

Prior to his appointment as Interim Fire Chief, Chief Carter served as Deputy Chief of Fiscal and Support Services, providing executive oversight of the Fiscal Office, Supply, Fleet, Facilities, procurement functions, and contract administration. In this capacity, he played a critical role in budget development, resource allocation, policy alignment, and operational support strategies that sustain departmental readiness.

Chief Carter previously served as Deputy Chief of Operations, where he was responsible for frontline emergency response operations, deployment strategies, and the supervision of suppression and EMS personnel assigned to field operations. His leadership in this role focused on enhancing operational efficiency, improving firefighter safety, and ensuring service delivery aligned with departmental performance standards.

He later served as Deputy Chief of Training and Professional Services, directing Fire and EMS training, recruiting, health and safety, HR functions, payroll/personnel, and departmental professional development. In this role, he advanced academy operations, strengthened leadership pipelines, modernized personnel management systems, and oversaw curriculum development and certification tracking.

Chief Carter holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Occupational Safety & Health, along with an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science Technology. He also maintains professional credentials, including EMS certification, Georgia Firefighter certification, Hazardous Materials Technician, NPQ I and II. He holds the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation. In addition, he is a graduate of the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI).

Known for his strategic mindset, collaborative leadership style, and dedication to continuous improvement, Interim Fire Chief Carter is driven by the belief that meaningful progress requires initiative, accountability, and the continual pursuit of excellence in service to the community.

Our Mission

To be responsive to the needs and safety of our community, and committed to the highest level of risk reduction and incident response while delivering superior customer service and professionalism.

One DeKalb. One Mission. One Future.

Department Goals

In alignment with our Vision Statement and Core Values, DeKalb County Fire Rescue is committed to:

Leading the fire service with superior public safety practices that positively impact our community at every interaction now and for future generations.
Strengthening accountability across all levels of the organization to support our mission and enhance overall effectiveness.
Promoting professionalism through pride, ownership, and a positive attitude that reflects excellence in both individual and departmental performance.
Demonstrating competency in all aspects of service by continually working to further our knowledge, skills, and operational readiness.
Acting with integrity by upholding the highest moral and ethical principles in service to our community.

Our Services

Emergency Response