Firefighters Name Sen. Murphy Legislator of the Year

Patch Staff Report

The Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA) and the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs (GAFC) have named Senator Jack Murphy (R - Cumming) their 2014 Legislator of the Year. GSFA and GAFC will present this award to Sen. Murphy at the Forsyth County Fire Department’s Headquarters on May 12, 2014.

Sen. Murphy was selected for his hard work in getting Senate Bill 298 passed this past session. SB 298 included language that will exempt volunteer firefighters from having to pay a renewal fee when they apply for a class E or F driver’s license.

Dawson County Fire Chief and GSFA President Lanier Swafford said in a news release, “Senator Murphy has been a friend of the fire service for years, including his time spent as Chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee. His efforts this past session is just another example of his longstanding support of Georgia’s firefighters”.

Warner Robins Fire Chief and GAFC President Robert Singletary said, “SB 298 is an important piece of legislation for our volunteer force and the GAFC cannot thank him enough for his key support in getting it passed.”

Each year, GSFA and GAFC present legislator of the year awards to one state representative and one state senator to commend them for their exceptional service and contributions to legislation regarding Georgia’s fire service.

About GSFA

The Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA) is a membership organization that serves all firefighters across the state of Georgia. It is the largest and oldest fire service organization in the state with over 4,500 members. Since its founding in 1952, GSFA has been providing its members with an active network and resources for information, communication, and representation on the state and national level. For more information on GSFA, visit www.gsffa.org.

About GAFC

The Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs is an advocacy association for fire service. Comprised of leaders in the industry, the Association strives to promote safety throughout all aspects of the fire service and represent all of Georgia's public servants. For more information on GAFC, visit www.gafc.org.