Mary Catherine Chewning has been named interim fire marshal for Rome, replacing the retired Johnie Evans.
"I'm so excited and eager to take this department forward," Chewning said Tuesday afternoon.
Rome-Floyd County Fire Department Chief Troy Brock said that Division Chief Dean Oswalt had been handling the responsibility since Evans’ retirement, but that he formally named Chewning to the post Monday afternoon.
Evans stepped down after about three and a half years in the post.
"She's going to do the job on an interim basis and we'll wait and see how she does before we move forward from there," Brock said.
If Chewning is given the job on a permanent basis, she would become the first female chief officer in the history of the department.