On to a Career in Firefighting
(There is a little known and remarkable fact about those who served as Volunteer Firemen with the Pacolet community Fire Departments. An astonishingly large number of the people that served went on to become paid professional Firemen at various departments in the South Carolina Upstate. Without a deliberate attempt, the Pacolet Fire Departments served as a highly successful Training Program to supply Firefighters for the Piedmont.)
Furnished By Randy MathisThe following list, describes people who were fortunate enough to turn their volunteerism into a paid career. All came through the Pacolet Area Fire and Rescue System. This is more than any other agency in this part of the country as far as we’ve been able to find out. It started with the Jr. Fire and Rescue Squad at Pacolet Mills in the beginning of the 1970’s. Since then, each generation has made a contribution back to the next upcoming generation by teaching them the basics of sincerity, training and dedication.
I’ve been in, around and talked with administrators doing the hiring. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the usual reaction when they see Pacolet Fire or Rescue on the application. They instantly know the quality of personnel that they are getting.
(Abbreviations: Pacolet Station Volunteer Fire Department - PFD Pacolet Mills Volunteer Fire Department - PMFD Pacolet Mills Rescue Squad - PMRS )
Dennis Wells (PMFD, PMRS)
Shift Captain/ Asst. Chief Croft Fire District
Retired: with Injuries.
Pam Fisher Craig (PMRS)
Paramedic Spartanburg EMS/ Instructor Upstate EMS
Retired: with Injury.
Randy Mathis (PMFD, PMRS, PFD)
Chief of Operations/ Paramedic North Spartanburg Fire District
Instructor SC Fire Academy
Instructor Upstate EMS
Retired: Blood Disease.
Mitch Trammel (PFD,PMRS)
Instructor/Officer Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Instructor SC Fire Academy
Retired: Knee Replacement
Keith Lee (PMFD,PMRS)
Asst Director Spartanburg County 911
Chris Harris (PMFD,PMRS,PFD)
Battalion Chief/ EMT Westview Fairforest Fire Dept.
SC Fire Academy Instructor
Left to pursue a career in Fire Apparatus sales with Spartan Fire and Apparatus.
Travis McGinn (PMFD,PMRS,PFD)
Shift Captain/Paramedic North Spartanburg Fire District
Instructor/ RN
Left to pursue career in the medical field.
Currently serving as a Flight Medic on the Regional One Medical Helicopter
Dale Worthy (PMFD,PMRS,PFD)
Asst. Chief Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Instructor SC Fire Academy
Current Chief of Pacolet Fire District
Darryl Padgett (PMFD, PMRS, PFD)
Battalion Chief Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Scott Harris (PMFD, PMRS, PFD)
Shift Captain Peham - Batesville Fire Dept.
Brian Sullivan (PFD)
Served as Paid Staff with Hilltop Fire Dept.
Officer at Simpsonville Fire Dept.
Andy Chalk (PFD,PMRS)
Served as Paid Staff at Mauldin Fire Dept.
Lieutenant/ Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Tony Goforth (PMFD,PMRS)
Sergeant/ Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Roy Dean White (PFD)
Hilltop Fire Dept
Simpsonville Fire Dept.
Croft Fire District
Robert Ruff (PFD)
City of Gaffney Fire Dept.
Jonathan Wells (PFD)
Officer Glendale Fire Dept.
Brian Helms (PMFD,PMRS)
Paramedic/ Spartanburg EMS
Jason Anderson (PMFD,PFD)
Pelham Batesville Fire Dept.
David Pete Free (PFD,PMFD)
Croft Fire District Sergeant/ Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Tim Garner (PFD)
Sergeant/ Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Chip Wilkinson (PFD) Sergeant/ Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Greg Osment (PMFD,PFD)
Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Calvin King (PFD,PMRS)
Paramedic/ Spartanburg EMS
Gary Brinkley (PFD,PMRS)
Mauldin Fire Dept.
Heath Henderson (PFD)
Glendale Fire Dept.
Captain/Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Stephen Caldwell (PFD) Glendale Fire Dept.
Chris Harper (PMFD,PFD)
Lieutenant/ Officer Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Josh Henson (PMFD,PMRS,PFD)
Paramedic/ Shift Supervisor Union County EMS
Heath Brown (PFD)
Sergeant/ Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Adrian Mathis (PFD)
City of Gaffney Fire Dept.
Daniel Hood (PFD)
Sergeant/Spartanburg City Fire Dept.
Trey Rhinehart (PFD)
North Spartanburg Fire District
This web site has been started as a public service to share the story of Pacolet.
