EFD chief seeking volunteer recruits

Eatonton Fire Department Chief Jamey Williamson is looking for a few good men – and women – interested in joining him in a new role.

After more than 32 years in various emergency services and firefighting positions, Williamson, 52, was approved by Eatonton City Council in January as the city’s new fire chief and now wants to bolster the department’s ranks with some recruits.

Williamson started as an EPD volunteer in 2006 under previous fire chief Eugene Hubert while working full-time at Horton Homes. He joined Horton in 1994 after graduating with a business degree from Georgia College and went into management and working in Horton’s engineering office until 2014, shortly before the business closed.

“I learned how to draw on AutoCAD, how to draw the houses, plans, and code, keep up the codes, and teach guys about quality control and some of the processes. I learned a lot there,” Williamson said.

Williamson praised company owner Dudley Horton for being extremely supportive of himself and about a half-dozen other employees who also volunteered with the fire department or local emergency rescue services.

“Some of them were supervisors, some were management, but he always allowed us to go if we had to,” Williamson recalled. “If we were able to go help the community, if something happened, it was like that every time.”

Now, Williamson is looking for similar volunteers – and employers – willing to put in the time and allow the time to help out the Eatonton Fire Department. 

He said he currently has 17 part-time volunteers but would like to see at least 25 available on call, if not more. And though it’s an all-volunteer department (other than himself), Williamson pointed out they do get paid “but you’re not going to be making a living off it.”

Williamson explained all volunteers receive payment upon answering an emergency call, while others are designated as part-timers, too. 

He said typically at least one part-time firefighter is at the downtown Eatonton station at all times, even overnight, as they stay in a small apartment-like room on the second floor above the garage.

Among current part-timers is 21-year-old Jaelynn Pressley, who is from Putnam County (all EPD volunteers must live within the county), but Pressley got her fire training through Morgan County and also has completed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification. 

Next will be Advanced EMT training, but meanwhile, she’s gaining much-needed, real-world experience with the Eatonton Fire Department.

“She’s up here all the time working with us part-time, volunteering,” Williamson said. “It’s great to have her. You really don’t see many women doing this, but I think it’s great when they do.”

Williamson said he welcomes volunteer applicants from all walks of life, pointing out the minimum age is 18 and though there is no official maximum age, for obvious reasons all applicants must be able to meet certain physical, strength, and stamina standards.

For instance, among recent volunteer applicants, Williamson cited an approximately 50-year-old woman who’s raised two now-adult children, is college-educated, had a career in a professional setting, is currently pursuing another degree, but also is looking for a way to give back to her community.

“She sounded eager,” Williamson said. “She came to our first drill about a week ago, just kind of taking it all in, seeing what it’s all about. And she looks fit. Really, as long as you’re able to do this stuff … she’s still a candidate.”

In addition to the county residency requirement and minimum age limit, all volunteer EPD applicants must have at least a valid high school diploma (or equivalent), a valid driver’s license, and no criminal record.

“As far as the fire department goes, we do a little bit of it all,” Williamson said. “We help with medical, helping with the ambulance service, with fires on our own or with Putnam County (Fire Department), and car wrecks and stuff like that. But we also do work with the police department, helping out with traffic control, putting our trucks in parades, doing things alongside the Eatonton Police Department in the school systems every year; and things like that. We also get donations to help with different things that we hand out for school safety or fire safety-type stuff. 

We visit some of the churches, and the Sunday school classes and if nothing else, the kids always want to know a little bit about us, and they love to see the big red trucks," he added. "Everyone does. But yes, we’re looking for volunteers, anybody who’s willing to put in the time and effort and wants to help their community. That’s what we’re all about, ultimately helping the community.”

The Eatonton Fire Department is at 214 W. Marion St., Eatonton, and Williamson can be reached at 706- 485-6461.