Hannon reflects on his 40 years with the Moultrie Fire Department
Published 8:31 pm Wednesday, June 20, 2018
- Moultrie Mayor Bill McIntosh, left, presents a plaque of appreciation to retired Fire Chief Kenny Hannon at the June 5 Moultrie City Council meeting. Hannon retired March 30 after 40 years of service at the fire department. City council members Cecil Barber, Cornelius Ponder and Lisa Clarke Hill applaud in the background.
MOULTRIE — Kenny Hannon was a member of the Moultrie Fire Department for 40 years and fire chief for 28 of those years.
Now, he has retired and has time to reflect on what has been a great career.
Hannon joined the Moultrie Fire Department in 1978 as a firefighter. After that he didn’t look back, getting promotions and recognition for his outstanding work. He worked his way up the ladder and eventually became fire chief in 1990.
As fire chief, Hannon accomplished a slew of things — getting more than $863,000 in grant funds to help the fire department get new equipment, assisting law enforcement in solving the arson-murder Chastain case, a case that originally took place in 1979 and was re-opened in 1989, foiling a $300,000 insurance fraud scheme and being named the Georgia Fire Chief Of the Year in 2011.
During his time with the fire department, Hannon built a solid reputation and relationship amongst his colleagues who respect what he has done for the city.
Lamar Plymel, interim fire chief for the Moultrie Fire Department, speaks in the highest regard about Hannon and thinks his dedication is what people will remember him for.
“I’ve worked with him since 1978,” said Plymel. “His dedication to the department is something I haven’t seen before. He was dedicated to his job, he sought ways to make this department better, equipment-wise and people-wise. He always did what was best for the City of Moultrie Fire Department.”
“It’s been a great career,” said Hannon. “I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. I’ve enjoyed working with everyone from the state of Georgia and the surrounding states. I’ve had a great opportunity to do some stuff that probably no one wouldn’t get to do. It has just been an all-around great opportunity and a great career to work with great people in the fire service here.”
Now Hannon works at the City of Moultrie Planning Community Development, where he coordinates with the staff there and the staff at the fire department trying to reduce the number of dilapidated houses in the city.In this new position, he works only three days a week. He’s grateful for the extra time he gets off, but hasn’t got used to how things have slowed down.
“It gives me more time to get stuff done at home and more time to spend with family and grandkids,” said Hannon. “It kind of slows down a bit. Something I’m not used to yet, but it gives me more time to do some fishing and hopefully some hunting in the fall.”
