Fire Department Honors Retiring Deputy Chief
Friday, March 14th, 2025
Mike Russell came to his retirement party wearing slacks and a neatly pressed blue button down shirt with the logo of the Dalton Fire Department embroidered on the chest. However, that's not technically the uniform for the second in command of the Dalton Fire Department.
"I would like to point out that Chief Russell is... not in uniform, so we're denying your retirement request," Fire Chief Matt Daniel joked from a podium in the engine bay of Station 2.
Caption: Deputy Chief Mike Russell (foreground with arms crossed) listens to a speaker at his retirement celebration on Friday afternoon
With the possible exception of the last day, Deputy Chief Mike Russell wore the uniform of the Dalton Fire Department for 32 of his more than 40 years as a firefighter. Russell joined the Dalton Fire Department in 1992 after a ten-year career as a volunteer firefighter. He rose through the ranks, earning his promotion to battalion chief in 2009 and supervising C-shift for nine years. He was promoted to deputy fire chief in 2019. He also served as the department's interim chief in 2023.
The fire department held a reception in his honor Friday afternoon. Station 2 was filled with family, friends, and fellow firefighters both active and retired who came to wish Russell well in his retirement. Many of those firefighters were trained by Russell over the years, including Dalton's current fire chief.
"There's a tremendous amount of experience in this room. I'm definitely a product of that, and I'm definitely a product of Mike Russell, as are numerous others of all of you are in here," Chief Daniel said. "His unwavering commitment, exceptional leadership, and vision have shaped this department for years to come. I personally am deeply grateful for his tireless dedication and the example he set for all of us. Through his hard work, passion, and professionalism, Deputy Chief Russell has truly exemplified what it means to serve with honor."
Caption: Mike Russell speaks during his retirement celebration Friday afternoon
'You trained many of us in this room," said Todd Pangle, Dalton's assistant city administrator and former fire chief. "You will continue to have an impact on this industry, on the fire service as a whole, and most importantly on the Dalton Fire Department. You will never know what you truly meant, but we appreciate you, and we appreciate what you've given to us."
Chief Russell kept his own remarks from the podium brief on Friday as he bid farewell to the Dalton Fire Department. He thanked everyone who came to wish him well, and noted that it's been a pleasure to work with the Dalton administration and Mayor and Council to keep making the department better. He also paid tribute to his wife Melissa, a fellow firefighter who works in the department's administrative office.
"If you don't know, she is the person who runs the fire department, we just make a few decisions, she's the one who makes it happen," Russell said. "Thank you all for coming out, I appreciate it."
Keith Dempsey will succeed Russell as second in command of the Dalton Fire Department. He was selected for the role in February after Russell announced his retirement earlier this year.
CLICK HERE to view a photo gallery from Friday's ceremony on the DFD's Facebook page
