On December 17, 2014, the Gordon County’s Administrator, John King, announced the appointment of the new Gordon County Fire Chief, Douglas Ralston. A veteran of the department, Ralston will be replacing David Hawkins, who recently retired. This decision was approved by the Board of Commissioners Tuesday evening.
Chief Ralston’s educational background includes an Associates Degree in Management and Supervisory Development, and he holds numerous State and Federal certifications. He previously served as a Fire Captain, Fire Lieutenant, and as a Firefighter/Paramedic since 1995. A long-time resident of Gordon County, Chief Ralston has worked his way up through the ranks of the department and promoted to Battalion Chief in 2012.
Always a forward thinker, Chief Ralston has served as a HazMat Team Leader, Gordon County Georgia Search and Rescue (GSAR) Team Leader, and Training Officer for Region 6 GSAR Task Force. A former Vice President of the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs and Bartow County Deputy Chief, Dwayne Jamison, stated “Doug Ralston is highly respected by the other GSAR members throughout the region, and he will do a great job for Gordon County.”
“He is well respected by his department and the fire service community. I am confident that Doug Ralston will build strong relationships with our volunteers, other county departments, and our state/regional partners to improve service delivery throughout the county”, stated John King. Chief Ralston will be responsible for Fire Suppression, Prevention, and Rescue. Doug is a member of the New Zion Baptist Church, Coosawattee Masonic Lodge, Gordon County Young Farmers Association, 4-H Parent/Volunteer, and past member of the Gordon County Foster Parent Association. Doug resides in Gordon County with his wife Sandy and twin daughters Jazmine and Gabrielle.
