Georgia Department of Corrections Fire Service Employees Deputized

Commissioner: Timothy C. Ward

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

Recognized at 48th Annual Fire Fighter Appreciation Day

FORSYTH, Ga. – On February 4, 2020 the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) Fire Service Marshals were deputized during the 48th Annual Firefighter Appreciation Day hosted at the State Capitol in Atlanta, Ga.   

“I am honored to be a part of Fire Fighter Appreciation Day, and am proud of these courageous men and women who help keep the citizens of Georgia safe,” said Commissioner Timothy C. Ward. “We applaud the hard work and dedication of Firefighters throughout the state of Georgia, to include our staff and inmate firefighters, and appreciate their invaluable and commendable service to their communities.”

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King swore in six GDC Fire Services employees in the rotunda of the State Capitol along with hundreds of firefighters from across the state of Georgia. The GDC employees who were sworn in during this momentous day were Fire Service Chief Shawn Wombles, Life Safety Compliance Officer Charles Price, and District Fire Chiefs Rodney Helms, Don Shugart, Matt Kelly, and Glynn Pittman.

GDC Fire Services operates 25 fire stations, with mutual and automatic aid agreements throughout 51 counties within Georgia. Fire Service employees oversee and train offenders as certified firefighters, and receive certification through Georgia Standards and Training. Currently, the department has over 130 offenders participating in the program which responds to approximately 3,000 calls annually.  The Fire Stations and Fire Fighters assist local communities, and facilities by providing life safety assistance and lower Insurance Service Organization (ISO) ratings, which results in a significant decrease of property insurance costs. 

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.