Rank

Fire Chief

Fire Department

Tega Cay Fire Department

County

York

Department Type

Career

Fire Service Experience

I have 37 years of Fire, Rescue, EMS, and Emergency Management experience from volunteer to career. I began serving Tega Cay in April 2019, after retiring as a Charlotte Fire Department Battalion Chief at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. I received my Associates of Science in Fire Protection Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Disaster and Emergency Management from Western Carolina University. In addition to numerous fire certifications I completed Fire Officer 3, National Registry Emergency Medical Technician Certification and am a SC Certified Emergency Manager.

What originally drew you to the fire service?

After witnessing a fire in my neighborhood when I was 16, the firefighters on scene encouraged me to join the fire service. Immediately I joined the Junior Firefighter Program at our local volunteer fire department. Thirty-seven years later, and serving in every role, the fire service is as exciting today as that first day as a junior firefighter.

What drives you to continue in the fire/emergency services?

Joining the Junior Fire Program at the volunteer fire department in my neighborhood when I was 16 placed firefighters in my life who encouraged me to grow personally and professionally. To this day I continue to seek education opportunities so that I am ready for any emergency placed in my path. I want to instill the heart of the fire service in education, teamwork and tradition in each firefighter that I come in contact with. It is imperative to share information and continue the growth of, the passion for, the training and tradition of the fire service. I believe being a firefighter is a privilege and an honor.

As you progressed through the ranks, what hurdles/challenges have you faced?

As I progressed through my career and through the ranks some of the hurdles I met were favoritism, partiality, the good ole boy system. These slowed progression in training opportunities and the progression through the ranks.

If you could give any advice to young/new officers, what would you tell them?

Be persistent and focused. Seek knowledge, training and tradition from firefighters with a passion for the service. These will prepare you for a great career and will help you to advance. Surround yourself with solid leaders and mentors to give you direction and strength.

What are some personal highlights of your career?

Growing up in a strict Christian home, it is my faith that sustains me. From the moment I received my first fire badge I knew God had an amazing path for me to follow. Marrying wife, who was my best friend, she encouraged me to pursue training and safety so that our two girls would grow up with a healthy and wise father.

It is such an honor to have been promoted through the ranks of the fire service. It was also an honor to pin my youngest daughter when she joined the Indian Land Volunteer Fire Department as a Junior Firefighter. She has progressed and now has her Firefighter 2 Certification and SC EMT while attending Horry-Georgetown Technical College in pursuit of a nursing degree.

Highlights of my career:

-The ability to save lives, bring new life into the world and to positively impact the futures of families

-The relationships and friendships that continue every day

-Ongoing training opportunities

-Promotional Processes that helped me grow, develop and become a mentor and fire service leader

-The ability to lead and develop an organization encouraging members and staff to chase education to enhance their fire service and life goals.

Are there any department spotlights you would like to share? 

The Tega Cay Fire Department is a combination department that serves a community that is focused on recreation. Our department is comprised of 21 paid staff and 23 volunteer members. In the last several years we have engaged the community in both education and Fire Prevention. We added four new staff members, developed an Officer Development Program and promoted four members to leadership positions in our organization. Over the last several years we have increased certification and training in many disciplines including EMS, Water and Technical Rescue in addition to fire.

We focused on the safety of our members. We developed and implemented a technology plan which allowed the implementation of new records and data management systems. We applied for and received several grants to launch a water rescue program and we implemented a maintenance and replacement plan for all equipment for our department.

 

Department Name 

Rock Hill Fire Department

 

Department County 

York

 

Year Established

1869

 

Department Type 

Career

Demographics and Population Served 

Response Area 38.6 Sq. Mi

Population 76, 228

 

What type of services are offered by the department? 

Fire Response

ALS Response

High Angle Rescue

Hazmat

Water Rescue/Swift Water/Dive

Confined Space

Other Specialized Rescue

 

Fire Chief 

Mike Blackmon

 

Number of Officers 

42

 

Number of Firefighters 

98

 

Number of Stations 

6

 

Average Annual Call Volume 

8000+

 

Is there anything unique about the department?

ISO Class 1

Largest Municipality in York County / 5th Largest in State