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Major Appointed as City Fire Chief

Jennifer Lowe

Release: IMMEDIATE           Contact: Jennifer Lowe, Communications Officer

Major Appointed as City Fire Chief

(Fayetteville, N.C.) – City Manager Dale Iman has appointed Ben Major as the City’s Fire Chief, effective immediately. Chief Major served as Interim Fire Chief since April, following the April 16 tornadoes, when former Fire Chief Benny Nichols was assigned to focus exclusively on disaster recovery operations until his retirement on July 1.

Chief Major’s appointment was announced at the Monday, Oct. 10 City Council Meeting and comes just over a month after the Fayetteville Fire Department achieved international accreditation from the Commission of Fire Accreditation International.

“Chief Ben Major is an excellent choice as Fire Chief of the Fayetteville Fire Department, given his proven ability to oversee department operations, and since he served at the helm when the Fire Department received international accreditation,” City Manager Dale Iman said. “He brings over 27 years to the position, having started with the Fayetteville Fire Department as a Firefighter in 1984. Chief Major is committed to the Fire Department and to providing great services to Fayetteville citizens. I’m excited to appoint him as Fire Chief and I’m certain he will continue to make improvements to an already outstanding department.”

Chief Major has risen through the ranks, serving as a Firefighter, Lieutenant, Assistant Fire Marshal, Captain, Training Officer, Battalion Commander and Assistant Fire Chief. He has completed the Executive Fire Officer program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md. As Fire Chief, Major will plan, direct and review the activities and operations of the Fire Department, including fire suppression, prevention and investigation, fire safety education and emergency medical services.

Chief Major said, “I’m grateful to Mr. Iman for having the confidence in me to appoint me to this position, and I’m thankful that Chief Nichols and the past chiefs have mentored me over the last 27-and-a-half years. Becoming a fire chief doesn’t happen overnight – it’s a career-long process. I look forward to following in the footsteps of Chief Nichols and the other great chiefs we have had.”

Chief Major earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from UNC-Pembroke and is working on a Master’s in Public Administration at UNC-Pembroke.