2 Investigates: Fire department ties with home restoration company

When Atlanta firefighters arrive at a fire scene, they do more than put out the fire. They also call a private company to board up the property after a fire. The homeowner doesn't choose the company, the fire department does.

Critics wonder whether Atlanta is playing favorites, with big insurance money at stake.

Zahi Elias owns several rental properties. Last July, his tenant called to say his house in Atlanta was on fire.

When Elias arrived, a company called 1-800-BOARDUP was already on the scene, and the tenant had signed an agreement to let the company board up the house.

"I said 'No, this is my property, not the tenants property. I will board it.' He wasn't happy," Elias said of the BoardUp representative. He called the two men with the company pushy.

1-800-BOARDUP is based in St. Louis. Local restoration companies around the country buy a franchise, and often hire current and former firefighters to be the face of the franchise.

The companys website states, If your market is available and you would like to increase your sales and decrease your dependence on worn out marketing strategies, please contact our franchise sales department.

Testimonials on the website include this one from Dave W. Of California: Our disaster recovery business flourishes because of our 1-800-BOARDUP program.

Retired Atlanta Fire Section Chief Jimmy Hodges gets a paycheck from a restoration company, but if you ask where he works, he'll say, "1-800-BOARDUP."

Every franchise has to have a director of emergency services and usually it's a chief officer like myself, retired, Hodges said. We understand emergency management. We understand what people go through.

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2 Investigates: Fire department ties with home restoration company