Firefighter Promoted, New Firefighters Confirmed By PSC

At Tuesday morning's monthly meeting of the Public Safety Commission, four new Dalton firefighters were confirmed while a fellow longtime firefighter was promoted to the rank of Engineer. 

Katelen Farmer was promoted from the rank of Firefighter II to Engineer. She has served the Dalton Fire Department since February 2006 and has worked diligently to become an exemplary firefighter. Chief Todd Pangle noted Tuesday that Farmer has served as a fill-in operator/driver for several years and has shown a high level of competence for the role of engineer during that time. 

Chief Pangle poses with Engineer Farmer

Four other Dalton firefighters saw their careers with the agency officially begin with their confirmation by the Public Safety Commission. Firefighters Devonte Davis, Whitney Lacks, Dylan Massengill, and Tyler Putnam were each confirmed by a unanimous 5-0 vote of the PSC. They recently completed the department's annual recruit school and were honored at a graduation ceremony at City Hall. 

Firefighter Davis is a 2014 graduate of Dalton High School and has worked as an electrician in the years since completing his studies. He is married with three children. Firefighter Lacks comes to Dalton from North Carolina where he previously served as a lieutenant in the Greenville Fire Department. he has an associate's degree from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Virginia. He is married with three children. Firefighter Massengill graduated from Southeast Whitfield in 2010 and has degrees from Chattanooga State and Tennessee Temple University. He's married with one child. Firefighter Putnam is a 2018 graduate of Calhoun High School and has worked for the Gordon County Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer in the jail. 

Chief Pangle poses with new firefighters (from left to right) Putnam, Lacks, Massengill, and Davis.