Marietta Fire Department’s Chief Jackie Gibbs announced his retirement recently with plans to leave office on Dec. 1 after serving more than 40 years - 18 of those as fire chief.
“With the great support of the city manager, mayor and Council, I believe that Marietta Fire is one of the best fire departments in Georgia and is positioned to remain a great fire department, doing great work for Marietta,” Gibbs said.
A graduate of the Marietta City School System, Gibbs received his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering Technology and an associate degree in Fire Science Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University.
Marietta’s Fire Marshal from 1987 to 1999, Gibbs was appointed Marietta Fire Chief in December 1999.
In 2004, Gibbs received the Georgia Governors Public Safety Award from Governor Sonny Perdue, the International Code Council Fire Official of the Year Award and the Georgia Fire Chiefs Association Fire Chief of the Year.
Gibbs led the Marietta Fire Department through the process of obtaining the Class 1 Designation from the Insurance Service Office - obtained by less than 1 percent of the 48,000 fire departments across the U.S.
He also has worked to purchase property on Sawyer Road for the future Station 56 and state-of-the-art training facility.
“I will personally miss the daily friendship we have fostered and enjoyed these last 18 years but take comfort in knowing he will still be an active member of our community,” said City Manager Bill Bruton. “The city of Marietta will miss the knowledge, expertise and guidance of Chief Gibbs, but I am confident in our department, knowing the excellent quality of employees he has hired and trained throughout his tenure with the city.”
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