On Friday, August 19, the Fire Department proudly appointed thirteen firefighters to new roles. Their families – along with Mayor Lester Miller, County Manager Dr. Keith Moffett, and Fire Chief Shane Edwards – were all in attendance and cheered them on as they stepped into this next chapter of their careers. You can view the full ceremony here.

“Each and every one of you are an integral part of this command staff. You play a major role in the daily operations in our department. At any given time you may find yourselves as the primary instant commander in an emergency. Your initial decisions will have an outcome in any situation we encounter,” Fire Chief Edwards told his team during the ceremony. “Thank you to all of you, for your efforts, for going above and beyond, and overcoming those challenges.”

Five officers were appointed to Battalion Chief. These Chiefs respond to all hazard emergency scenes and structure fires, and are responsible for battalions, stations, equipment, and managing major response emergencies.  

One Fire Officer was appointed to Training Chief. This chief will be responsible for all training curriculums throughout the county, and will oversee the completion of the training tower project.  

Another Fire Officer was appointed to the position of Special Operations/Safety Officer who will respond to all hazards and emergencies in Macon-Bibb. This person will also be attached to the Fire Training Division who will assist with all live burns. They’ll be the safety officer for the new training tower.  

And finally, four Fire Lieutenants were promoted to the rank Captain. These Captains will be responsible for their own fire company personnel, respond to all structure fires and major event accidents in their respective territories, and will ride in the position of reserve Commander in the absence of a Battalion Chief.  

The majority of these promotions are a result of the new shift schedule created in January, 2022. 

Click here to see pictures from the event.