Fire Chief John Vlasis set aside his Signal Mountain fireman’s helmet this month for the last time, retiring after six years of service to the mountaintop community.
“You find your niche in life,” said the 60-year-old local resident. “My dad was a doctor and I thought about going to medical school, but then I thought that’s not for me.”
Instead, he received his associate’s degree in emergency medical services, continuing his education with other training as he continued his career. He retired from the Chattanooga Fire Department after 28 years but he didn’t remain inactive for long. In 2006 he was selected by the town of Signal Mountain, which needed a “progressive” new fire chief to revamp and improve its own fire department.
“They must have thought I was progressive, so they hired me,” Vlasis laughed. “I’m just a good chief because my people are good; they have great core values.”
During his years at the Signal Mountain firehouse, Vlasis expanded the program, increasing the number of EMTs on the force from three to 14 and widening the scope of medical care provided in order to better treat citizens.