Fire Chief Edward O’Brien. Photo by Mitch Talley.For the first time in 32 years, the Whitfield County Fire Department has a new chief.
At a special called meeting Monday morning, the county’s board of commissioners voted 3-0 in favor of hiring Edward O’Brien, who retired last year as fire chief/emergency management director in DeKalb County, Ga.
He’ll earn $85,000 annually and starts his job June 23.
O’Brien will bring a “new set of eyes” to the fire department, Commission Chairman Mike Babb said, and he’s got good communications skills.
The two other finalists were longtime Whitfield County Fire Department leaders, assistant fire chiefs Randy Kittle and Danny Roach.