O’Barr Retires as Lavonia Fire Chief
Councilman Andrew Murphy shakes O’Barr’s hand as Mayor Courtney Umbehant looks on
Lavonia Fire Chief Scott O’Barr is retiring.
O’Barr made the announcement at Tuesday evening’s Lavonia City Council meeting.
O’Barr said being a volunteer firefighter for the City of Lavonia was childhood dream come true, but now it was time to focus more of his attention on his family.
“I was afforded the opportunity to become a Lavonia firefighter in 1995 and I served with pride. I took my job seriously… 2020 has been a heck of year for a lot of us in more ways than one. September 14th will be 25 years that I’ve been on the Lavonia Fire Department. I’m going to take an early retirement and turn my pager off for the first time in 25 years and spend more time with my family,” he told the City Council and Mayor Courtney Umbehant.
O’Barr then thanked the Mayor and City Council for giving him the opportunity to serve the City and to retire as Fire Chief.
City Councilman Andrew Murphy also works as a volunteer firefighter and credits O’Barr with giving him the opportunity and training required to serve the City of Lavonia.
“Anytime I called him or needed an answer to a question, he (O’Barr) was there…I want to thank you for everything you did down there because it takes a lot…You’ve done a lot for the City of Lavonia and I hate to see you go,” Murphy said.
And Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle credits the fire department under O’Barr’s watch with saving the life of City Councilman Michael Schulman who was a Lavonia Police Captain when, in 2015, he was shot by a suspect he had pulled over.
“If it wasn’t for him (O’Barr), he may not be here,” Carlisle said pointing to Schulman. “He was the paramedic and I’ve got video of Scott taking care of him (Schulman) the night he got shot and we are eternally grateful. That video has been shown all over the country of you saving that man’s life that night and we appreciate it.”
For now, Assistant Fire Chief Jon Baskins will serve as the interim fire chief and a permanent replacement for O’Barr can be found.
O’Barr also serves as the Franklin County Coroner.