Chief Officers

Fire Chief 
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Tim Milligan joined the Marietta Fire Department in 1997. He spent much of his early years in special operations, an area of expertise that includes rope rescue, water rescue, and confined space. He successfully completed the technician-level certifications in all of those areas as well as in hazardous materials. Throughout Tim's career, he has added certifications in fire investigations, fire instruction, as well as a CrossFit Level I Instructor.

Tim has served in all divisions of the Marietta Fire Department. He earned two promotions in the Suppression Division, first to Firefighter Engineer and then to Lieutenant. After a time as a company officer in the field, Tim made a lateral transfer to a position in the Training Division where he served first as a fire department instructor and then as the Homeland Security Officer. In that role, Tim maintained the Crisis Management Center and managed the city's emergency management plans. On his next appointment, Tim became a Station Captain in the Suppression Division. In 2014, Chief Gibbs transitioned him into the role of Deputy Fire Marshal and Tim returned to the Prevention Division. He later was promoted to the title of Fire Marshal as an Assistant Chief. In 2018, Tim became Marietta Fire's new Fire Chief.

Throughout his career, Tim has taken advantage of a number of opportunities that allowed him to increase his level of contributions to the fire service. He is an alumnus of both Honorary Commanders and Cobb Leadership and serves as the Co-Chair for Cobb Leadership's Class of 2017. He sits on both the City Pension Board and the Executive Committee of Georgia Association of Public Pension Trustees; in 2012, Governor Deal appointed Tim to the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Firefighter Pension Fund where he currently serves as Chairman. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Tim has volunteered with a number of community organizations including the Center for Family Resources and SafePath Children's Advocacy Group.

Tim's educational accomplishments include an associate's degree in Fire Science from Pikes Peak University, a bachelor's degree in Business from Regis University, and a Masters of Business Administration, also from Regis University. 

Chief Tim Milligan

MILLIGAN, Tim 03

Deputy Chief of Operations


Deputy Chief Pacheco has been with the Marietta Fire Department since 1999. Joe focused the early stages of his career towards technical training, which led him to be assigned to the department’s heavy rescue unit. During this time, he completed Paramedic training and obtained NPQ certifications as an instructor and evaluator. Joe was promoted to Firefighter Engineer in January 2006 and again to Lieutenant in August of 2008. 

As a Lieutenant, Joe was assigned to the Training Division for almost 3 years, and when he returned to suppression in 2015, he was promoted to the position of Station Captain. In 2019, Joe was promoted to Assistant Chief and served as a shift commander and the Training Chief. Throughout his career with Marietta Fire, Joe has received many awards, certifications & graduated from Columbia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. 

As of June 3, 2024, Joe took on his newest role with Marietta Fire, Deputy Chief of Operations.

Deputy Chief Joe Pacheco

PACHECO Joseph 04

Deputy Chief of Administration


Patrick Stewart joined the Marietta Fire Department in 2002 after serving 10 years as a volunteer in his hometown of Cashiers, NC.  In 2005, he obtained his Paramedic Certification through Chattahoochee Technical College.  He worked to obtain numerous certifications preparing him to better serve the citizens of Marietta.  His certifications include Fire Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, Swiftwater Rescue Technician, Fire and Life Safety Educator, Fire Inspector, and Fire Investigator.

The first nine years of his career were spent in Fire Suppression. His first promotion was to Firefighter Engineer in 2007.  In 2011 he was promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to the Fire Marshal’s Office.  Patrick remained in the Fire Marshal’s Office from 2011 until 2016 where he served multiple roles including stints as the Education Officer and Inspections Officer.  In 2014, Patrick became the lead Fire Investigator for the Marietta Fire Department and he also became a certified police officer after attending North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy.  From March of 2016 until August of 2018, Patrick again served in the Suppression Division.  Early in 2018 he was promoted to Captain and had returned to the Fire Marshal’s Office where he served as one of two Deputy Fire Marshals.  In 2021, Patrick was promoted to Assistant Chief and assigned as a Shift Commander, has served at the Chief of Training, and was most recently promoted to Deputy Chief of Administration.

Patrick has had a distinguished career and received multiple awards for his hard work.  In 2008 he was awarded the Firefighter Engineer of the Year.  He received the Hometown Heroes Award from the Rotary Club of Marietta in 2012.  He was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award in 2013 from the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce.  Patrick also has multiple Life Saver awards.  He was selected to attend the inaugural United Leadership Program in 2021, designed  for Public Safety Leadership Development and delivered by the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.

In 1996, Patrick received his bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources Management from Western Carolina University. He earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia Southern University in 2021.

Deputy Chief Patrick Stewart

DC Stewart 380

Fire Suppression - Assistant Chief - A-Shift 

Brian Rutledge began his career with the Marietta Fire Department in March 2003. During the progression of his career, Brian has been involved in multiple areas of the fire department, including hazardous materials response, technical rescue training, air technician training to assist in the maintenance of the department’s breathing apparatuses, and Paramedic certification.

Brian was promoted to Lieutenant in 2012 and served as a Station Officer for 4 years. In 2016, he was assigned to the Fire Marshal’s Office where he served as the Lieutenant overseeing the Business Inspections for the City of Marietta enforcing State and Federal fire and life safety codes.

In December 2019, Brian was promoted to the rank of Captain, and served as the Station Captain for Marietta Fire Station 54.  Brian is currently the shift commander of A-Shift.

Assistant Chief Brian Rutledge

RUTLEDGE, Brian

Fire Suppression - Assistant Chief - B-Shift

 

Kevin Gerhard joined the Marietta Fire Department in 2006. He quickly obtained his Paramedic certification in 2007. To increase his knowledge, he went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University in 2010. He also completed certifications to become Firefighter II and III. He was awarded the Life Saver Award in 2011. Kevin was promoted in 2013 to Firefighter Engineer, 2015 to Lieutenant, and Captain in 2019. 

Kevin served in the United States Army as an M1A1 tank crewmember. His time spent serving our country no doubt prepared him well for the mental and physical demands of being a firefighter. While serving he received the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. 

In 2018, Kevin took the position of Homeland Security Officer and worked with all city departments in disaster preparedness. He also earned his master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia Southern University in 2018.

Prior to be assigned as the shift commander of B-Shift, Kevin served as the Training Captain. He also serves on the department’s risk management board.


Assistant Chief Kevin Gerhard

GERHARD, David

Fire Suppression - Assistant Chief - C-Shift

Ty Howard began his career with the Marietta Fire Department in January of 2006. During the progression of his career, Ty has been involved in multiple areas of the fire department, including hazardous materials response and technical rescue training.  During this time, he completed Paramedic training and obtained NPQ certifications as an Instructor I and II, Evaluator, and Fire Officer I.

Ty was promoted to Firefighter Engineer in 2012 and served primarily in Station 55’s district located on Franklin Gateway. In 2016 he was promoted to Lieutenant and served as a Station Officer for 4 years at Station 51 in downtown Marietta. In August of 2020, he was promoted to the position of Captain, having served as the Deputy Training Officer for Marietta Fire Department’s Training Division for two years.  Ty was promoted to Assistant Chief  as a Shift Commander in January, 2025.

Ty holds an associate degree in Fire Science from Albany Technical College.


Assistant Chief Ty Howard

Ty Howard

Assistant Chief - Fire Marshal CPSE FM -- Standardized

AC Jason Garner joined the Marietta Fire Department in 1999, after spending 4 years as a Fire Explorer in the Marietta Fire Department’s Fire Explorer Program. Jason came to the department with an EMT-I license and had worked in both public and private 911 EMS systems. In 2004, he obtained Paramedic Certification through Chattahoochee Technical College. Jason recognized early in his career that his talents included fire safety codes and investigation. His certifications include Georgia EMS Instructor, Peace Officer, Police General Instructor, Tactical Paramedic Instructor, Fire Instructor, Fire Inspector, and Fire Investigator.

He was appointed to the Fire Marshal’s Office as a Shift Inspector in 2002 and has left the Fire Marshal’s Office several times over the years to pursue promotions and gain field experience. He was promoted Firefighter Engineer in 2008, Lieutenant in 2013, Captain/Deputy Fire Marshal in 2019, and Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal early in 2025. He was a member of the Bicycle EMS Team deployed to special events throughout the City. Jason has spent over 10 years as a member of and eventually supervisor of both the Fire Department Honor Guard and Tactical Paramedic Unit. He currently serves as the city's Fire Marshal.

Jason’s awards include GA EMS Region 3 Stars of Life (multiple awards); MFD Lifesaver (multiple awards); Leadership in Tactical EMS; and the City Manager’s Award.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering from Eastern Kentucky University, and in 2022 earned the Center for Public Safety Excellence's professional credential as a Fire Marshal.  Jason is one of only 230 credentialed FM's.  Also in 2022, he was accepted into the UK based, international Institution of Fire Engineers as a member.

Assistant Chief Jason Garner

Garner, Jason

Deputy Fire Marshal

Brad Wood began his career with the Marietta Fire Department in January 2006. Over the years, he has been involved in various disciplines within the department, holding assignments with the technical rescue team and the hazardous materials response team. He holds certifications as a Fire Officer I, Fire Instructor I, Hazardous Materials Technician, Swiftwater Rescue Technician, and Paramedic.

Brad received his first promotion to Firefighter Engineer in 2012, where he primarily served in Station 54’s district on Chestnut Hill Road. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2018, serving as a company officer across various fire districts in the city. His last assignment in this role was at Station 56’s district on Sawyer Road from 2021 to 2024. Brad was promoted to Captain in July of 2024 and returned to Station 54's district serving as the station captain. He was reassigned in February of 2025 to the Fire Marshal's Office where he is currently serving as the Deputy Fire Marshal. 

Before his career with the fire department, Brad served in the U.S. Army for six years, including an overseas deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Brad has received several awards, including a Life Saver Award and the 2008 Firefighter of the Year. He is an alumnus of the 2024 United Leadership Program.

Captain Brad Wood

WOOD, Brad 02 2024

Deputy Fire Marshal

Richard Franklin began his career with the Marietta Fire Department in August of 2012 and has served in multiple areas of the department throughout his career.  In 2019, he joined the Fire Marshal’s Office to work in Investigations and Emergency Preparedness.  After four years, he transferred to the Training Division where he led a recruit training class through fire school and EMT-A certification.   In 2024 he returned to fire suppression to be a company officer at station 51.

In May of 2025, Richard was promoted to Captain and transferred to the Fire Marshal’s office to serve as a Deputy Fire Marshal.  He currently oversees the permit-based projects team and leads the fire investigation program.

Richard earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Athens State University, serves on the board of directors for the United Leadership Program, was awarded the City Manager’s Award for Excellence in 2020, and is a member on the Firefighter Peer Support Team.  His certifications include Fire Investigator, Fire and Life Safety Educator, Fire Inspector, Fire Service Plans Examiner, HazMat Technician, Fire Instructor 1, Fire Officer 1, and P.O.S.T. certified Peace Officer and Arson Investigator

Captain Richard Franklin

Richard Franklin Captain

Training Officer

Donny Reed began his career with the Marietta Fire Department in January 2004. During his career, he has received certifications for Paramedic, Technical Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Hazardous Material Technician, Fire Inspector, Fire Officer I and Fire Officer II.  Captain Reed was promoted to Firefighter Engineer in 2010 and to Lieutenant in 2014.

As a Lieutenant, Donny served in the suppression division for a year as the PAS officer and as company officer at Station 52 until 2017. Donny was then assigned to the training division where he served as the EMS Officer and assisted with Fire Training. In 2018, Donny moved to the Fire Marshal’s Office where he performed fire inspections for the City of Marietta. In January 2021, Donny was promoted to Captain and was assigned as the Station Captain for Marietta Fire Station 52.  He is currently the Department's Training Officer.


Captain Reed has received the Marietta Fire Department Recruit of the Year Award 2004, Marietta Fire Department Firefighter of the Year Award 2009, Marietta Rotary Club Firefighter of the Year 2010, and Cobb County Public Safety Recognition Award 2018.   

Donny has an AAS Fire Science Degree from Albany Technical College and is an Alumni of the inaugural United Leadership Program, 2020. 



Captain Donny Reed

REED, Donald

Fire Suppression - Captain

Captain Mindel was promoted to Captain in 2022, and is currently assigned to Station 56.

Captain Chuck Mindel

MINDEL, Charles

Fire Suppression - Captain

Jay Lawson joined the Marietta Fire Department in 2007. His early focus was on engine company operations and he served as an instructor for the Engine Ops/Water Supply class for fire recruits. Jay was promoted to Firefighter Engineer in 2014 and was an instructor for tractor drawn aerial apparatus (tiller) operations for newly promoted Firefighter Engineers.  Jay obtained his Paramedic certification in 2015 and has two life saver awards.

Jay was promoted to Lieutenant in 2017 and served as the Personnel Accountability and Safety Officer at Station 51 before moving to a Company Officer position at Station 54. In 2021, Jay was reassigned to the Fire Prevention Division and served in the Community Risk Reduction role where he provided the services of the “Be MFD Safe” program, delivered fire prevention education to Marietta City Schools and assisted with fire inspections and investigations.      

Jay moved back to the Fire Suppression Division in 2023 and was promoted to Captain in 2024. He is currently the Station Captain at MFD Headquarters Station 51.

Jay holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Promotion/Wellness from Kennesaw State University.

Captain Jay Lawson

LAWSON, Malcolm 2024

Fire Suppression - Captain

Captain Bobby Moss began his career with the Marietta Fire Department in February 2001. During his years of service, Captain Moss has acquired various certifications that are beneficial to our department. He achieved NREMT Paramedic status in 2004, Technical Rescue/Instructor in 2006, NPQ Fire Instructor 1 in 2008, and is a State of Georgia Structural Fire Control Instructor. He is an American Heart Association certified CPR and ACLS Instructor and the department administrator for recertifications. He is the Marietta Fire Pump Operations Course Coordinator. Captain Moss has also completed some of the toughest physically challenging classes in the fire service. These include Georgia Smoke Diver and Georgia Flames which focus on firefighter survival in which he is now a lead instructor. He has also completed the Smoke Diver classes for the states of Texas, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

Captain Moss was promoted to the position of Firefighter Engineer in 2007. In 2008, he was named the 2007 Firefighter Engineer of the Year. In 2012, Moss was promoted to the position of Lieutenant and was assigned to the Training Division. Moss served as the Training Lieutenant for 4 years and was then reassigned to the Suppression Division. In August of 2018, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and reassigned as the Deputy Training Officer. His duties include controlling the budgets for yearly department personnel physicals, uniforms, and is the coordinator of physical fitness equipment for the department.

Captain Moss is currently the Station Captain of Station 52.


Captain Bobby Moss

MOSS Bobby 01

Fire Suppression - Captain

Brandon Clayton joined the Marietta Fire Department in January of 2006. Throughout his career, he has earned multiple certifications including Paramedic, Technical Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, Fire Instructor I, Fire Officer I, Fire Officer II, Structural Fire Control Instructor and Hazardous Materials Technician. He has served in a variety of operational assignments, including engine operations, truck operations, and squad/technical rescue.

Brandon was promoted to Firefighter Engineer in 2012 and served at Station 52 for several years before moving to Station 51. While at 51, he was promoted to Lieutenant in 2017 and then went on to serve as a company officer at multiple stations throughout the city for the next eight years. In June of 2025, he was promoted to Captain and is currently assigned as the Station Captain for Marietta Fire Station 53.

Brandon holds an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University.

Captain Brandon Clayton

Clayton, Brandon

Fire Suppression - Captain

Tim Cameron is the Captain currently assigned to Station 55 where he manages the Hazardous Materials Response Program for the City of Marietta. Captain Cameron was hired in March of 2000. He obtained his paramedic certification in 2002 and was promoted to Engineer in 2005. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2007. As a Lieutenant, he served in Suppression and in the Fire Marshal's Office where he obtained certifications of Fire and Life Safety Educator along with Fire Investigator. He was promoted to Captain in 2019.

Captain Cameron holds certifications for Fire Officer 1, Fire Instructor 2, Structural Fire Control Instructor, Pressurized Container Fire Control Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Specialist Certifications for WMD, tanker truck, and atmospheric monitoring. He also has an Associate Degree in Biblical Studies from Southwest Bible College.

He served 8 years with the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Captain Cameron has served as a committee member for MAFFC and currently the member at large for the Cobb County Resource Council. He also serves as a TEMS medic for Marietta SWAT.

Cameron has worked for Dawson County Emergency Services as a firefighter/paramedic for the past 8 years.

Cameron’s awards consist of the following:

Multiple Life Saver Awards, Meritorious Service Medal with MFD 2005, Mary Beth Bowns Excellence in Trauma Award 2019, Hometown Hero Award from Marietta Rotary Club 2019, Firefighter Paramedic of the Year Dawson County 2018, Best of Dawson 2018 Firefighter; Dawson County News.


Captain Tim Cameron

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Fire Suppression - Captain

Steve Dau joined the Marietta Fire Department in 2008 after spending 9 years as a teacher in the public school system. He graduated from George Mason University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. In 2012 he obtained his Paramedic Certification allowing him to better serve the citizens of Marietta. His additional certifications include Hazardous Materials Technician, Swift Water Rescue, Life Safety Educator, Fire Inspector, Fire Investigator, Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention, and Child Passenger Safety Technician.

Steve’s first promotion was in 2013 to the rank of Firefighter Engineer followed by Lieutenant in 2015. In 2016 he was reassigned to the Fire Marshal’s Office as the Education Lieutenant where he was instrumental in the development of the “Be MFD Safe” Community Risk Reduction Program. In 2018 he additionally took over the functions of the Marietta Fire Museum until 2025.

Steve remained as the Education Lieutenant until his promotion to Captain in 2021 and now serves as one of two Deputy Fire Marshal’s. He has received multiple awards including the Public Safety Hero Award in 2017 and the Alex G. Newsome Award for Leadership & Supervision in 2019.

Captain Dau is currently assigned to Station 54.

Captain Steve Dau

Dau, Steve