South Fulton’s new fire chief coming from down South

South Fulton spokeswoman Jolene Butts Freeman said Wednesday that the 46-year-old’s annual salary would be $125,000.

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“Chief Broome is widely recognized as one of the best fire professionals in both the great state of Georgia and the nation,” South Fulton City Manager Odie Donald II said in a news release. “I am excited to add his expertise and successful track record to our executive team.”

The South Fulton fire chief opening was created by the retirement of Larry Few after 38 years of fire service.

Broome said he saw the South Fulton job posting online and was excited to lead a department in a city of 100,000 residents — about double Valdosta’s population. Broome said he and his wife, a middle school assistant principal, are looking for a new home in the city.

The Charlotte native got his start at the Winston-Salem Fire Department in 1996. It was in the North Carolina college town that he realized he wanted to spend his life in fire service.

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Broome will take over a fire department that hasn’t had much time to settle since the city incorporated in 2017.

The Fulton County Fire Department became the South Fulton Fire Department in February 2018. According to previous reporting, the 160 employees protecting the southern portion of Fulton and parts of the first and third battalions got job offers.

Broome said he was impressed by South Fulton’s operation but wouldn’t say what he planned to change or expand because he was still learning about the agency.

“I’ll be coming up there and visiting the departments and the city and community and get some ideas of what to put in place,” he said.

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