Rep. Cooke Calls for Allowing Firefighters to be Armed
State Rep. Kevin Cooke (R-Carrollton) has introduced a bill that calls for allowing Georgia firefighters to carry guns on the job.
This comes less than a year after an emergency incident where a Gwinnett County man called the fire department claiming to have a heart attack.
Shortly after five firefighters entered the house, the caller held them hostage at gunpoint.
“If there was a chance he thought he would bring four, five guys in there with guns, I don’t think he would have made that phone call,” says Jerry Henry the executive director of Georgia Carry.
He supports House bill 807.
The legislation, introduced by Cooke, says firefighters can carry firearms while on duty, if they get permission from their superiors.
In the 2013 Gwinnett County incident, police were able to rescue the firefighters held hostage and kill the suspect.
However, supporters of Cooke’s bill say the firefighters should have had the legal ability to defend themselves.
An audio version of this story.
“And it’s difficult these days to determine when you’re not going to be in one of those situations,” says Henry.
The group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America declined to comment for this story.
Gwinnett County Fire Chief Casey Snyder issued a written statement that says his department has no knowledge of the bill and doesn’t plan on changing its current procedures, regardless of the outcome.
Rep. Cooke’s bill is in a State House committee.
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