By Marla Jones, Reporter • marla@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — At this week’s meeting of the Fort Payne City Council, Assistant Fire Chief Ron Saferite was named as the new Chief of the Fort Payne Fire Department. The previous Fire Chief, Don Fischer, was named the new Director of Human Resources for the City of Fort Payne.

“I would like to thank the Fort Payne City Council and Mayor Chesser for their confidence in me and for giving me the opportunity to serve the citizens of Fort Payne at this level,” said Saferite. “I would also like to thank the outstanding officers and firefighters, past and present, who have worked with me and helped me become who I am in the fire service.”

Ron Saferite was raised in the Adamsburg community of Fort Payne and has been in the fire service for 34 years, with a total of 28 years in the Fort Payne Fire Department. In addition to helping manage a multi-million dollar budget in the Fort Payne Fire Department, Saferite has also served as a member of the Alabama Task Force and Urban Search and Rescue.

He attended Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC), Alabama Fire College, and Shelton State. He is married to Sabrina Parker and has a daughter named Keisha and a stepson named Dustin Bradley. He also has one grandchild, Brantley Silver.

“[I would also like to thank] my wife and family for supporting me and being there through the years,” continued Saferite. “I look forward to working with the new Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Stacy Smith, together and with our team. Our goal is a future where our department continues to grow through training and technology to continue providing the best service our city deserves.”

Saferite will begin serving as Chief on Monday, June 4.

The next meeting of the Fort Payne City Council will be held on June 19, 2018 at 12pm.