Speakes, who lives in Gainesville, was selected among 12 internal applicants to fill the position.
"As a department, we were very fortunate to have 12 qualified individuals from within the department apply for this position," said Chief Lanier Swafford. "In the end, five completed the testing and interview portion of the promotional assessment, with Lt. Danny Speaks being chosen for the promotion."
Speaks has served as a firefighter/paramedic in Dawson County for four years with previous experience in Hall and Barrow counties, and operated the first advanced life support (ALS) engine in Dawson County.
Also serving as the training coordinator for the K-9 Strike Team, Speaks is one of only two Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/ State Urban Search and Rescue Association (SUSAR) live disaster K-9 handlers in Georgia.
Assistant Chief Speaks studied paramedic technology at Lanier Technical College and is currently pursuing a degree in applied health sciences.
In his role as assistant chief, Speaks will also serve as training officer. While this was a difficult decision based on the caliber and abilities of the applicants, we feel that Danny is the right person for this position who will continue to produce a high level of training for our personnel, and will do an exceptional job for the department, it members, and the community as a whole, Chief Swafford said.
"I am glad and very proud to be working for people who support me in this venture, " Speaks said. "This motivates me to give 110 percent for them and all our personnel to provide quality training that will improve our department and make us one of the top departments in the state."
Danny Speaks
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/3/236853