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CHIEF OFFICERS

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Fire Chief

Brent McClellan
Chief 1

Email: bmcclellan@gtcounty.org
 

Brent McClellan was born and raised in southern West Virginia. He began his fire service career as a volunteer with the Lenore Volunteer Fire Department in 1993. In 1996 he attended Marshall University and obtained his Paramedic Certification. In 2003 he moved to Pawleys Island and began working for Midway Fire Rescue as a Firefighter/Paramedic. In 2010 he was promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief and in 2016 he accepted the Assistant Fire Chiefs position with the Georgetown City Fire Department. In 2022, he returned to Midway as the Fire Chief. Brent has earned two degrees, Fire Science from Columbia Southern University and Technical Studies in EMS degree from Southern West Virginia Community College. Brent and his wife Penny have two children, Caleb who is currently serving in the US Army and Calee who is attending the University of South Carolina. They faithfully attend Pawleys Island Community Church and enjoy all that God has blessed them with!

 

 

 

 

 


 

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Assistant Fire Chief
James Crawford
Chief 2

Email: jcrawford@gtcounty.org


Jim Crawford retired as the Assistant Fire Chief of Operations with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire after 20 years of service.  He is also the retired Deputy Fire Chief of Operations for the 171st Air Refueling Wing Fire Department, Pennsylvania Air National Guard after 23 years of military service as well a graduate of the Air Force Fire Academy where he spent four years on active duty as a firefighter.  Jim is also the former Deputy Chief of Training for the Pennsylvania USAR Strike Team where he also served as a Rescue Manager.  Chief Crawford is also a life member and past Fire Chief of the Ben Avon Volunteer Fire Company, Pa. Along with these great accomplishments he was the ISFSI Fire Instructor of the Year recipient in 2002 for his aggressive national efforts in firefighter rescue training.  He has lectured nationally on the subject of Firefighter Rescue Operations at shows such as FDIC, FDIC East, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, and the Worcester Safety & Survival Seminar.  He has been an instructor at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) for 24 years.  He has a degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University and has over 49 years experience in the career and volunteer fire service. Jim is a third generation firefighter who loves the job and history of the American Fire Service.  It has always been his goal to retire from a big city fire department and assume a Chief Officer position in a beach community fire department.  When Jim is not immersed in running the operations at Midway he enjoys spending time with his dogs, at carshows with his classic camaro, on the beach, or on his boat with his family.  

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Division Chief of Training and Special Operations

Walter (Matt) Smittle

Chief 3

Email: msmittle@gtcounty.org

Matt Smittle promoted to Division Chief in 2018. Prior to Midway Fire Rescue, he worked in the industrial realm as a Plant Protection Specialist working in Fire/EMS with private corporations.  Chief Smittle thrives on challenges, particularly those dealing with critical or technical situations.  This is why Chief Smittle is currently the leader of the Georgetown County Technical Rescue Team, Disaster Medical Specialist with SCTF-1 USAR out of Columbia, SC.  Chief Smittle also is proud to be part of the South Carolina Firefighter Assistance Support Team.

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Division Chief of Fire & Life Safety 

Bill Collins

Chief 4

Bill Collins has served in the fire service for over forty years as both a Volunteer and Career firefighter. He retired from Georgetown County in July of 2020 after 27 years. He joined the Fire Marshal’s office at Midway Fire Rescue in August of 2020 as a Lieutenant working as the Fire Inspector / Investigator. He was promoted to the position of Division Chief / Fire Marshal in August of 2022. He holds certifications from the International Association of Arson Investigators as a Fire Investigation Technician and from the National Association of Fire Investigators as a Certified Fire and Explosives Investigator. He is a certified SC State Fire Marshal, ICC Fire Inspector and Plans Reviewer. He has also been an Instructor with the South Carolina Fire Academy since 2000

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