Covington City Manager Leigh Ann Knight announced the city of Covington has three finalists for its open position of Fire Chief at Monday night’s city council meeting.
Knight said of all the applicants that came in, Perry Deputy Fire Chief David Stanton, Fayette County Battalion Chief Jeffrey Hill and Cobb County Battalion Chief Elliot Bowles were the top three.
Covington’s new fire chief will be announced at the Feb. 16 council meeting.
“It’s a very difficult decision,” Knight said. “All three are extremely qualified.”
According to the finalists' resumes, obtained by The News, all three Georgia residents and bring a wide range of experience.
Stanton brings more than 22 years of experience to the table, previously working as Assistant Fire Chief for Fire Prevention, Fire Investigator, Fire Inspector and Fire Fighter for Largo Fire Rescue. The Kathleen resident also served with the U.S. Army in Operation Desert Storm.
Hill has been with Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services since 1995, working as executive command, and program manager, among other positions. Hill also is a member of the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs, Georgia State Firefighters' Association an instructor and is currently enrolled in the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program.
Bowles began with Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services as a Fire Fighter in 1984 and worked his way up to Lieutenant, Captian and Training Division Chief, before being named BAttalion Chief in May of 2010. From 2011-13 Bowles was an adunct professor/instructor for Fire Science Association Program, teaching Fire SErvice Hydraulics and Strategy and Tactics.
Bowles also was voted Region 6 assistant basketball coach of the year in 2011-12 and 2013-14 for his work with the Allatoona basketball team.
The position of Covington Fire Chief opened when former Covington Fire Department Chief John McNeil resigned in September. Deputy Chief of Operations David Gunter has been acting as Covington chief since McNeil finished his last shift Sept. 27.
For more on this story see Sunday's print edition of The Covington News.
