Department Name 

Midway Fire Rescue

Department County 

Georgetown

Year Established

1962

Department Type 

 

Combination

Demographics and Population Served 

Retirees, professionals, and vacationers

What type of services are offered by the department? 

Fire Response

First-Responder Response

BLS Response

ALS Response

High Angle Rescue

Water Rescue (Swift or Dive)

Confined Space

Other Specialized Rescue

Hazmat Response Team

Fire Chief 

Doug Eggiman

Number of Officers 

16

Number of Firefighters 

64

Number of Stations 

3

Average Annual Call Volume 

3800

Is there anything unique about the department?

"Our population doubles over the spring/summer months and since we are surrounded on 3 sides by the ocean and ICW; we have a robust water rescue program that includes rescue swimmers, PWC's, Sea Arks, a Zodiac, and a 27 Ft Carolina Skiff with a 500 GPM fire pump."

Rank

Fire Chief

Fire Department

Dacusville Fire Department

County

Pickens

Department Type

Combination

Fire Service Experience

"Started at the age of sixteen as a junior firefighter for Pumpkintown FD and when I turned eighteen I became a volunteer firefighter for Pumpkintown FD then at the age of nineteen I became a full-time firefighter for the City of Easley FD. While working full time for Easley FD I was a volunteer firefighter for Dacusville FD and at the age of twenty-four I became a volunteer Lieutenant Training Officer for Dacusville FD and was a part-time firefighter for the Vineyard FD, a member of Pickens Haz-Mat, a member of SC Forestry wildland Fire Strike Team and a member of SC USAR Task Force 6. At the age of twenty six I took the position of the first paid part-time Fire Chief of the Pumpkintown FD and continue to work full time at Easley FD and serve on all my teams and at the age of twenty eight I gave up my positions at Easley and Pumpkintown FD to a take a full-time Fire Chief positions with the Dacusville FD which I'm still currently doing."

What originally drew you to the fire service?

"My Father was a full-time Firefighter for the City of Easley FD and a volunteer Firefighter for Pumpkintown FD and spending time at the fire stations. Hearing my Father pager go off for calls and going to the occasional fire call made me have a love for the fire service."

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

"Love for the fire service, continuing of training and opening doors to new experiences."

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

"Not having a college degree is a challenge because most places are requiring for officer positions and being a younger fire officer and having to gain the respect of older and the same age as I fire service personnel. Getting and keeping members motivated in the fire service and the decrease of volunteers for the fire service."

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

"Get a college degree and don't think your something special because you got rank or a white hat, be humble and respectful but be a strong leader and don't let your subordinates walk over the top of you. Take bad and good experiences you had coming up through the fire service and use them to help you be a better officer and to help you make better decisions on things you will face daily. Never stop earning your rank, keep up your training, stay positive and be a great role model for your group."

What are some personal highlights of your career?

"Becoming a Firefighter, going into my first fire, becoming a fire officer and making it to the rank of Fire Chief are some of the highlights in my career."

Are there any department spotlights you would like to share? 

"Effective 2019 Dacusville Fire Department will be going to an ISO class 3."