Gilmer County Fire and Rescue recently promoted five employees to the rank of lieutenant.
During a Feb. 17 ceremony at the local fire and rescue headquarters, firefighters Marshall Rhodes, C.J. Morris and Chris Bird received their lieutenant helmets and brass. So did Mikey Bramlett and Matt Williams, who were promoted from the rank of sergeant to lieutenant. Andrew Burnette, who had already achieved the rank of lieutenant, was also included in the pinning ceremony, said Fire Chief Daniel Kauffman.
“All six of them got pins and their family members were there to pin their collar brass,” he added.
These promotions follow others in the department last October when two new battalion chiefs, Mike Dempsey and Eric Irish, were named.
“On our supervisory staff at the firefighter level, we now have three battalion chiefs and six lieutenants. Each shift (A, B and C) has one battalion chief and two lieutenants,” said Kauffman.
The three firefighters who received the promotion in rank underwent a four-part testing process, he added.
“It was a competitive testing process, so they all earned the positions. They had to submit a resume and a list of qualifications. If they met the qualifications, there was a written test and they had to pass each (part) to move to the next. The test also had a human resources practical, which was a live scenario they had to (undergo) with an employee who was a role player. They also had to do a fire practical and an oral review board,” Kauffman explained.
“We are very pleased with the lieutenants we got through this process. We have a really good core group of guys who are motivated. They are already taking on projects and are willing to make a difference here in the department,” he added.