Dalton Fire Chief Bruce Satterfield will retire from his position on April 28. Chief Satterfield announced his intention to retire in a letter to Dalton Public Safety Commission Chairman Bill Weaver and informed his firefighters in person at a series of shift meetings at Dalton’s fire stations.
Chief Satterfield joined the Dalton Fire Department on March 19, 1980. He served under four previous fire chiefs before being promoted to chief himself on Feb. 24, 2009, following the retirement of Chief Barry Gober.
In his retirement letter, Chief Satterfield noted that he is “proud to have served with the outstanding, highly-skilled, and highly-qualified group of firefighters at the Dalton Fire Department. The agency has a tremendous amount of expertise, an abundance of capabilities, and firefighters who are trained to handle most anything.”
No successor has been named, but the Dalton Public Safety Commission will begin a search soon. Chief Satterfield noted that he is committed to a seamless transition and will work through April to allow ample time to find a successor. In his retirement letter, Chief Satterfield said, “based on the strong leadership among the current staff, I have no doubt that there are many potential chiefs within the department.”
Chief Satterfield said that he is excited about the opportunities ahead in retirement, and that his “hope for the agency is that the next fire chief will improve the already lofty standards, build upon positive cultures, continue to strengthen the outstanding firefighters, and push the Dalton Fire Department to the next level.”
The Dalton Public Safety Commission is comprised of Chairman William B. Weaver, Carlos Calderin, Terry Mathis, Keith Whitworth, and Kenneth E. Willis.