A 29-year veteran of the Edenton Fire Department has been promoted to head the agency, the town manager announced this week.
Billy Bass, a captain with the department who serves as its training officer, is Edenton’s new fire chief, Town Manager Anne Marie Knighton said.
Bass, who begins his duties as fire chief on Wednesday, Jan. 16, succeeds Craig Forlines, who retired last February. Bass will be formally sworn in February, Knighton said.
Briefing Edenton’s mayor and Town Council on Bass’ promotion, Knighton said she was “so pleased to be appointing a fire chief who has worked his way up” the ranks of the fire department.
“Bass has the training and skills to manage the fire department and he has the enthusiasm to help people, which is Edenton Fire Department’s mantra, and I think he is going to be a great addition to the town leadership team,” she said.
Knighton said Bass is excited about working with the department’s captains and firefighters on ways to prevent or mitigate the risks Edenton’s firefighters face. He also hopes to expand the department’s fire prevention education initiatives in the schools and the community.