New Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield has named Blake Hodge as the the new county fire chief and emergency management director.
In a news release, Whitfield said Hodge has local roots but has been leading the Garden City Fire Department in Savannah, Ga., for the last two years.
"Chief Hodge's diverse experience will provide us with solid leadership of our Walker County Fire Department," Whitfield said in the release.
He said he expects the county's fire and emergency services to provide "an extraordinary level of service consistent with the new vision, mission and values of Walker County."
The release said Hodge began as a volunteer firefighter in 1992 and rose through the ranks as a supervisor and training officer. He served as division chief of training in the Gordon County Fire Department before taking the Savannah job.
Whitfield said Hodge was a top four finalist for fire chief in Catoosa County, and thanked Catoosa County Manager Jim Walker for providing recommendations and resumes from his search.
He said Hodge will take over Monday morning from current chief David Ashburn.