By Matt Barnwell
The Macon Telegraph, Ga.
MACON, Ga. — Marvin Riggins on Tuesday won unanimous approval from a Macon City Council committee to serve as the city’s next fire chief.
Riggins, the assistant chief who has led the department since former Chief Jimmy Hartley’s January retirement, will go before the full council next week for final confirmation.
The Public Safety Committee took only a minute or so to approve his nomination by Mayor Robert Reichert. After the vote, Riggins received a round of applause and a hug from Council President Miriam Paris.
“It’s exciting to be at this point,” said Riggins.
He’ll face some challenges at the outset, he acknowledged, with upcoming Insurance Services Office evaluations and other new standards that must be met. Firefighters also must retest their basic skills with state officials to retain their certification after several failed exams given in December. But once those obstacles are out of the way, Riggins said, “then we can go on to some new and innovative concepts.”
Riggins joined the department as a private in 1979. He held the ranks of sergeant and lieutenant before he was promoted to chief of the training division in 1993. Former Mayor Jack Ellis named Riggins the department’s assistant fire chief in 2000.
Riggins was born in Macon in 1961 and graduated from Twiggs County High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration, both from Georgia College & State University, according to his resume. Riggins also holds several degrees, licenses and certificates related to fire fighting and paramedic skills.
Reichert asked Riggins to serve as fire chief after interviewing him and four other candidates who also work in the department. Officials said there were 12 applicants for the job, most of them internal.
Councilman Virgil Watkins, who is the Public Safety Committee chairman, was on hand when Riggins first interviewed for the job. Watkins said he came away impressed with Riggins’ experience and leadership ability.
“I think he’s going to serve us well as fire chief,” Watkins said.
Councilwoman Nancy White, the committee’s vice chairman, was also complimentary. She said she first met Riggins at an Emergency Management Agency training session shortly after she was elected in 2006.
“He was extremely professional, articulate, knowledgable,” she said. “I’ve been really impressed with him from day one.”
Copyright 2008 The Macon Telegraph