The Board of Commissioners Office is pleased to announce the selection of Wesley Johnston as the new Chief of the Butts County Fire and Emergency Services Department, with an effective date of June 26^th, 2023. Johnston, a resident of Butts County, has over 15 years in the Fire and EMS services field, joining the Butts County Fire Department in March of 2023 as Assistant Chief over training. When the position of Fire Chief became open in April, Johnston was assigned as one of two interim Chiefs, and was one of several applicants that applied for the position. Following an interview series that included one with several Chief officers from other county agencies, County Manager Brad Johnson announced the decision on June 27^th that Johnston would become the 8^th person to hold the position of Fire Chief since the founding of the department in the 1980’s.

Chief Wesley Johnston holds numerous certifications in Fire and Emergency Medical Services, including certification as a Paramedic, Fire Officer, Fire Instructor, several specialized areas of rescue and multiple instructor certifications in the EMS field. His career in public safety goes back to 2008, when he went to work for the Clayton County Fire Department. During that time, he obtained his Associates Degree in Paramedicine and also worked part-time positions at Piedmont Henry Hospital to enhance his knowledge and skills in the medical field.

The Fire Chief position for Butts County serves as a director-level position over the second largest department of Butts County. As a 24 hour per day service, the department has primary County responsibility for fire suppression and prevention, rescue and emergency operations, ambulance and emergency medical services, emergency management and homeland security, fire inspections and fire investigations. The department currently provides professionally trained and certified staff for stations in Worthville, Jenkinsburg, Stark, McKibben, Indian Springs and a headquarters office in Jackson, which work in conjunction with the City of Jackson and City of Flovilla Fire Departments, as well as the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison Fire Department. When not engaged in emergency work, the department regularly interacts with local schools, churches and civic organizations, providing CPR training, promoting fire safety and teaching fire prevention.

Chief Johnston will assume his duties immediately.