Search is on for new Chattanooga fire chief after Chris Adams announces retirement

Fire Chief Chris Adams, right, congratulates Firefighter of the Year Preston Binegar, left, as Mayor Andy Berke stands near, second from left. Chattanooga Fire Department Fire Officer of the Year Captain David Tallent, stands beside Chief Adams at the annual awards dinner on Feb. 6, 2017, at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Fire Chief Chris Adams, right, congratulates Firefighter of the Year Preston Binegar, left, as Mayor Andy Berke stands near, second from left. Chattanooga Fire Department Fire Officer of the Year Captain David Tallent, stands beside Chief Adams at the annual awards dinner on Feb. 6, 2017, at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.

The Chattanooga mayor's office said the search is on for a new fire chief.

Chief Chris Adams is set to retire in September after 27 years with the Chattanooga Fire Department. City Council Chairman Ken Smith paid tribute to Adams' service at Tuesday's council meeting.

"Much as it pains me, I will be so happy to know the amount of time you'll be able to spend with your family, who have missed you dearly in the years and hours that you have given in the service of this city," Smith said from the dais.

"We would not be where we are today without leaders like you in this city who are willing to give, and your family being willing to give, all they have over the years. I just want to say thank you."

Other council members and the audience joined in a standing ovation for Adams, who capped a career of city service with two years as chief.

photo Chris Adams

Under Adams, the city in 2015 added two "quick response vehicles" for the fire department - retrofitted Ford Explorers filled with medical supplies and staffed by two firefighters.

Adams told City Council members at the time that about 40 percent of the department's 12,000 to 15,000 annual calls for service are medical calls. He said the vehicles would be a faster, cheaper way for firefighters to get to nonfire calls.

The following year, Mayor Andy Berke said bringing those two vehicles into use helped the city get a $1.8 million grant to hire 14 new firefighters for two years. That would bring the roster to 425 and ensure every fire hall had a full complement of five.

In a statement Friday, Berke lauded Adams' service.

"Chief Adams has shown incredible talent, compassion, and persistence as he advocates for the needs of firefighters while ensuring they are equipped to both prevent and handle emergencies - he exhibited remarkable leadership as our department supported victims of the Woodmore tragedy. We thank him for his tireless efforts in making Chattanooga safer and wish him a happy retirement."

County Mayor Jim Coppinger, who retired as Chattanooga fire chief before being elected, called Adams "an extremely qualified person, extremely knowledgeable about the fire service."

He remembered appointing Adams as training officer for the department.

"He took training to another level, and from an outsider looking in that used to be a fire chief, I can see that he's taken the Chattanooga Fire Department to another level," Coppinger said.

City spokeswoman Marissa Bell said the opening was posted on the city's website July 25 and closed Aug. 1.

She said she didn't know Wednesday how many people applied for the position or the timeline for selecting a new chief.

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